Russia has criticized UNICEF chief Catherine Russell for declining to brief the UN Security Council on the situation of children in Gaza.
Moscow had requested the briefing but Russell failed to provide a compelling reason for her refusal.
Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Russell, an American, had briefed the 15-member council on children in Ukraine “at the drop of a hat” in December, during the U.S. presidency of the council.
“So it would appear that for UNICEF children in Gaza are less important than children in Ukraine,” Nebenzia said.
Debate Erupts At UN
Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine in February 2022 and has been at war since then.
The war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas began in October 2023 and a ceasefire took effect on Sunday.
“The refusal of UNICEF’s head to brief the Security Council about the horrific tragedy linked to the death of tens of thousands of children in Gaza is a flagrant step, which deserves our most serious censure,” Nebenzia told the council.
Explanation By UNICEF
Russell is at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland with a focus on addressing humanitarian crises and was unable to adjust her schedule to brief the Security Council, said a UNICEF spokesperson.
“Ms. Russell had offered the Director of Emergencies to deliver her statement on her behalf,” the UNICEF spokesperson said.
“The UNICEF Executive Director has briefed the Security Council several times on the situation of children in Gaza and appreciates the council’s focus on children impacted by war.”
The Security Council has met dozens of times to discuss the war in Gaza.
Israel’s armed and security forces, Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, and Russia’s armed forces are all on the UN global list of offenders for killing and maiming children.
Russia Targets U.S.
Nebenzia also accused Washington on Thursday of some responsibility for the deaths of children in Gaza after the U.S. used its council veto to shield Israel during the war.
He also said the U.S. ignored Russian calls for a meeting on Gazan children in December.
Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea rejected Nebenzia’s accusations.
“The idea that the United States is responsible for the terrible suffering there is just unacceptable to us and we reject it in its totality,” she told the council.
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher briefed the Security Council meeting on Thursday via video from Stockholm.
Plight Of Children In Gaza
The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator bluntly assessed the past 15 months of war in Gaza: “Children have been killed, starved, and frozen to death.”
According to UNICEF, one million children in Gaza are in need of mental health and psycho-social support for depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
“They have been maimed, orphaned, separated from their family. Conservative estimates indicate that over 17,000 children are without their families in Gaza,” he said.
“A generation has been traumatized,” Fletcher said.
Education has also been severely impacted, with many children losing their schools and struggling to access necessary care for chronic illnesses.
“Many have faced sexual violence,” Fletcher said.
He also highlighted the additional indignity faced by girls who lack access to menstrual care.
Ceasefire
Under the ceasefire, the United Nations and others are carrying out a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Fletcher noted that the recent ceasefire has provided much-needed reprieve from relentless hostilities, allowing for a surge in life-saving humanitarian aid.
He expressed gratitude to the mediators – Egypt, Qatar, and the United States – for their efforts in upholding the ceasefire.
“We can save more lives if all parties continue to honour the deal,” he said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
