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Palestinian children look at mourners carrying the bodies of Roshdi, Mohammed and Reyad Naser during their funeral in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday. Khalil Hamra/AP/PA Wire

Escalating crisis in Gaza poses "serious threat" to children, says UNICEF

Meanwhile, UN rights commissioner condemns military action by Israeli and Hamas forces.

THE DETERIORATING SITUATION in Gaza are posing a “serious threat” to children, UNICEF said today as it issued an urgent appeal for additional funding to provide humanitarian support.

“Boys and girls in Gaza have been affected by house demolitions and military operations, arrests, poor treatment and harassment at checkpoints,” UNICEF said in a statement.

It said that the conflict poses “a serious threat to children” and is “exacerbating already dire humanitarian conditions for families who were already suffering from a lack of basic services and a fuel crisis”.

One-third of all civilians killed in the current crisis were children, UNICEF said, while an estimated 900 children have been injured.

UNICEF has revised its global appeal for humanitarian support funding to €10 million for this year.

Speaking today, UN human rights commissioner Navy Pillay said Israel’s military actions in Gaza could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Pillay criticised “indiscriminate” firing by Hamas and other armed groups from Gaza, and said it is unacceptable for fighters to put military assets in civilian areas.

Addressing the issue of military attacks on civilian homes, she said:

Civilian homes are not legitimate targets unless they are being used for, or contribute to, military purposes at the time in question. In case of doubt, civilian homes are presumed not to be legitimate targets.Even where a home is identified as being used for military purposes, any attack must be proportionate, offer a definite military advantage in the prevailing circumstances at the time, and precautions must be taken.

Yesterday, the spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian coordination wing, Jens Laerke, voiced urgent concern for civilians amid the escalating violence:

Read: Palestinian family finds missing son ‘by chance’ – in YouTube video of his death >

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    Mute Kev Barnes
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    Jul 9th 2018, 7:53 AM

    Hot DRY week with rain……some weather forecast that

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    Jul 9th 2018, 7:26 AM

    Riding sat and sun morning in the north west

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    Jul 9th 2018, 7:30 AM

    @ed w: fair play to ya

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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Jul 9th 2018, 7:32 AM

    @ed w:
    Hope it stays nice and moist for ya. Them dry rides are no fun.

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    Mute ⚡ Seánie ⚡
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    Jul 9th 2018, 7:36 AM

    @ed w: there’s a man living for the weekend.

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    Jul 9th 2018, 7:37 AM

    @ed w: too much information kid

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    Jul 9th 2018, 7:39 AM

    @ed w: I’ll do the evenings for ya if needed

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    Mute Me_a_monkey
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    Jul 9th 2018, 8:24 AM

    @ed w: make sure u bag it up!

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    Mute Sean Conway
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    Jul 9th 2018, 9:47 AM

    @Tweed Cap: Put some icecubes in your condom to keep the swelling down.

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    ed w
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    Jul 9th 2018, 9:57 AM

    @Karl Dilkington: hope you got a good laugh meant raining of course

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    Mute Billy McNamara
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    Jul 9th 2018, 11:47 AM

    @ed w: I did.But I wonder !!!!.

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    Mute Kem Trayle
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    Jul 9th 2018, 10:55 AM

    It better rain soon or we’ll have to change our name to The Beige Isle.

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    Mute Sean Beinead
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    Jul 9th 2018, 11:32 AM

    I wouldnt mind a mix of a few showers with the sunny weather ,me poor roses are suffering and me grass seed aint digging in deep quite yet , im sick of watering the garden every evening aswell.

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    Mute Gisbert Bayertz
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    Jul 9th 2018, 2:32 PM

    @Sean Beinead: I don’t have anymore grass…..just a brownish something covering part of my back garden

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    Jul 9th 2018, 2:31 PM

    Journal: have you checked Met Eireann? Just asking…..

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    Mute Theodora Lament
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    Jul 9th 2018, 2:46 PM

    Chucking it down in the Wessht

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