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Westport, Connecticut (27 March, 2009) Tens of thousands of children in Gaza remain at serious risk of physical and psychological harm more than two months
after a cease-fire ended a 22-day conflict that began on December 27, Save the Children reported today.“Many children in Gaza are trying to survive in neighbourhoods that have been
reduced to rubble,” said Annie Foster, who is leading Save the Children’s humanitarian response in Gaza. “Children are going to sleep hungry every night, often with no bed
to sleep on. Many are not able to get a decent meal or bathe properly or even have access to clean drinking water. The plight of these children is drifting off the world’s radar screen at
a time when they need our help now more than ever.”“The biggest obstacle to helping these children is our limited access to provide critical materials for relief and
reconstruction,” said Foster. “During the past month, there has been virtually no progress in improving access for humanitarian agencies.”“We are calling for full
access and an end to the 19-month embargo so that the recovery and reconstruction efforts can proceed,” Foster said.Despite enormous obstacles, Save the Children continues to work in
Gaza, assisting more than 100,000 individuals, including 56,000 children. The agency has provided tens of thousands of children food and water, basic hygiene materials such as soap and tooth paste and
tooth brushes, as well as diapers, baby cribs, clothes and shoes.Save the Children’s health team sees approximately 60 patients a day, with a special focus on improving the health of
pregnant women and children under 5. Hundreds of children have been screened for infectious and communicable diseases. The agency also has installed household water tanks and replaced main water
pipelines in several Gaza neighbourhoods, but work has been slowed due to a severe shortage of materials. To help protect children, Save the Children has created 23 child friendly
spaces serving over 1,200 children every week. The agency also has provided training to adults to help manage these programs and is expanding its work to assist pre-school-aged children.Save
the Children also plans to support immediate livelihood needs through direct financial support to families through direct cash grants and financial support schemes.
An Israeli police officer (L) checks identification papers of Palestinians as they wait to cross to Jerusalem at Qalandiya checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah April 27, 2009. Israel ...
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