UN Chief Criticizes Israel Over Deaths Of Children In Gaza
Source: Associated Press
By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday criticized Israel for the death and suffering of Palestinian children during last summer's conflict in Gaza, reiterating his demand for the Israeli government to take immediate steps to prevent such killings.
The U.N. chief didn't address the reasoning behind his decision last week not to include Israel on his annual list of parties that kill or injure children in armed conflict in a speech to a Security Council meeting. That decision sparked protests from human rights groups and many in the Arab world and elsewhere.
The secretary-general's latest report said that in the Gaza conflict at least 561 children were killed - 557 of them Palestinians. It said 4,271 youngsters were injured, all but 22 Palestinians.
The 557 Palestinian deaths were the third-highest death toll of any conflict in 2014, after Afghanistan's with 710 child killings and Iraq's with 679 - but ahead of Syria's with 368.
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