Palestine / Jordan - Queen Rania meets Ted Chaiban and Adele Khodr on the Impacts of War on Children : MENAFN/ Mary Sidawi

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah met Monday with senior UNICEF officials in Amman for talks on the impact on Palestinian children of the Israeli war on Gaza, which is expected to have long-term negative repercussions on the lives of children.According to a statement from the Queen's office, Queen Rania, UNICEF's first Eminent Advocate for Children, listened to a UNICEF briefing on the "unprecedented" violence and "grave" child-rights violations.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director of Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations Ted Chaiban discussed the "urgent need" for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for all access crossings into Gaza to be open for safe, sustained, and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid, including water, food, medical supplies, and fuel.

Chaiban urged that patients in critical conditions in besieged Gaza should be able to leave or receive critical health services and for respect and protection for civilian infrastructure in line with international humanitarian law.

Over the past three weeks, UNICEF has been providing water to 1 million people in Gaza; however, it has only been able to provide each with less than three litres of water per day compared to its typical standard of a minimum of 15 litres.

Chaiban explained that the lack of water and food, coupled with overcrowding, is very concerning due to the risk of the spread of water-borne diseases.

The organisation sent 20 trucks through the Rafah Crossing carrying emergency medical supplies, water and sanitary and hygiene supplies.

Chaiban told the Queen that UNICEF is trying to increase the number of trucks transporting aid into Gaza, adding, "The UN has said that 100 trucks are needed to go in daily to sustain humanitarian efforts and operations."

He added that UNICEF would continue to support children in Gaza and is working hard to establish humanitarian corridors for critical aid.