I spoke to children in Gaza this week and here’s what they told me: they just want to live | Shaima Al-Obaidi

As war resumes, so does the death sentence for Gaza’s children. The UK must not be an ally to further atrocities

Shaima Al-Obaidi is a senior media manager at Save the Children UK

When I was woken up in the middle of the night on Tuesday by the roar of airstrikes and blaring ambulance sirens, I quickly realised that, once again, Israeli forces were unleashing hell on Gaza. It was a night of terror, but one that is all too familiar for Gaza’s children and families after 16 months of war. A reported 174 children were killed – one of the largest child death tolls in a single day.

Events have escalated rapidly since then. The attacks persist, and Gaza is once again divided. The Israeli military has imposed restrictions, blocking access to northern Gaza from the south. More than 50 of my colleagues in the north now confront the choice of staying to face tanks and bullets or leaving their homes with barely a moment to process their losses.

Shaima Al-Obaidi is a senior media manager at Save the Children UK, specialising in reporting on children impacted by conflict. She has previously been deployed to Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan and is currently on a deployment in Gaza

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