Almost half of the dead are children: over 2,000 have already been killed and thousands more children will live with disabilities and mental health issues due to war-inflicted trauma.

Child Rights Advocacy Network (CRAN) and the co-signatory Civil Society Organisations express their dismay at the killing, maiming and abduction of children, as well as attacks on schools and on essential civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, water and electricity and the denial - until recently - of humanitarian support to children and civilians in the war that is still raging in Gaza and Israel.

We hereby appeal to the international community for immediate intervention to bring about an immediate ceasefire and to ensure peace in the region and call on all parties involved in the conflict to act to fulfill their obligations to protect children and other civilians, regardless of their race, gender, nationality, religion, or political opinion