Two apartments where SOS Children's Villages in Gaza provided housing for families living in the community were completely destroyed in an airstrike. The people living in the apartments had already been relocated to another location further south. No programme participants or staff were killed or injured by this strike.
In the strongest possible terms, SOS Children's Villages International condemns attacks on civilian infrastructure. SOS Children's Villages has already lost and mourns the killing of several children, young people, and parents connected to our programmes in Israel and Palestine in the early days of the conflict. We reiterate our call for all parties to abide by International Humanitarian Law.
Ingrid Johansen, CEO of SOS Children's Villages International, said: "In these difficult times, we are working hard to ensure the safety and security of the largest possible number of children and families in our programmes in Gaza. We are devasted by the lives lost and injured. We are also shocked by the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including apartments that were housing families supported by our programmes before the conflict began.
"We operate in Gaza to support some of the most vulnerable children - those who have lost parental care or are at risk of losing it. Children - on the run, with nowhere safe to go, without food, water, and shelter - suffer most in any war," she said.