'No safe place for civilians' in Gaza, says UN, as child death toll reaches 149 [View all]
Palestinian civilians in densely-populated Gaza have no place to hide from Israel's military offensive and children are paying the heaviest price, the United Nations said.
Israel pounded targets across the Gaza Strip, saying no ceasefire was near as United States and UN diplomats pursued talks on halting the fighting that has claimed more than 600 lives as the conflict entered its third week.
The overwhelming majority of people killed so far in the conflict are Palestinians, including 149 Gaza children, the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Tuesday. Gaza's Health Ministry said 155 children had been killed.
At a United Nations Security Council meeting the Palestinian envoy to the UN held up photographs of children slain in Gaza and read out names of the dead as he pleaded for action from the council.
"On behalf of the Palestinian people, we ask: What is the international community doing to stop this bloodletting, to stop Israel's atrocities?" Riyad Mansour said during a debate on the Gaza crisis on Tuesday.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/no-safe-place-for-civilians-in-gaza-says-un-as-child-death-toll-reaches-149-20140723-zvvz3.html#ixzz38FvJOLJX
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