By: ATN News
United Nations: – The United Nations Security Council convened to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Ukraine following a series of deadly missile strikes. Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, delivered a harrowing briefing on the recent attacks that have devastated Ukrainian cities, targeting critical infrastructure and healthcare facilities.
Msuya described the destruction wrought by the attacks, highlighting the severe damage to Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital in Kyiv. “I was particularly shocked by yesterday’s deadly missile strikes on Kyiv, Kryvi Rih, Pokrovsk, Dnipro, and other urban centers,” she said. The intensive care, surgical, and oncology wards were severely damaged, with the toxicology department completely destroyed. In the immediate aftermath, children undergoing treatment were moved to makeshift triage areas set up in parks and streets.
The Office for the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) is verifying casualty figures, but preliminary reports indicate 27 civilians, including four children, were killed, and 117, including seven children, were injured. The destruction has left the hospital without electricity, further endangering critically ill patients who rely on life-saving equipment.
Msuya condemned the attacks as war crimes, emphasizing the systematic targeting of healthcare facilities. “Intentionally directing attacks against a protected hospital is a war crime, and perpetrators must be held to account,” she stated. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 1,878 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine since February 2022, significantly impacting homes, schools, and public transport, and disrupting essential services for millions.
Despite these challenges, Msuya noted that the UN and its partners provided life-saving assistance to 4.4 million people in the first four months of 2024. She urged donors to accelerate funding for humanitarian responses as another winter approaches amid ongoing hostilities.
The session featured testimonies from healthcare professionals, including Volodymyr Zhovnir, Director of Okhmatdyt, Ukraine’s largest children’s medical center. Zhovnir recounted the terror of the 8 July attack, describing how hospital staff evacuated over 600 patients during the bombardment. The attack resulted in extensive damage to the facility and the destruction of crucial medical departments.
Global reactions to the attacks were swift and unanimous in condemnation. France’s representative denounced the strikes as deliberate war crimes, while Ecuador emphasized the need to protect healthcare facilities in all circumstances. Switzerland’s representative highlighted the severe impact on children, who have been forced to spend significant time in shelters due to the ongoing conflict.
The representative of the Republic of Korea called the missile strike a “new low,” asserting that such attacks betray a fundamental lack of humanity. China’s representative urged rationality and restraint, advocating for the resumption of direct dialogue and negotiations to end the conflict.
Ukraine’s representative accused Russia of deliberately targeting vulnerable children and called for international action to hold perpetrators accountable. The representative of the Russian Federation, serving as Council President for July, denied responsibility, blaming Ukrainian air defense for the tragedy.
The Security Council’s session underscored the urgent need for a cessation of hostilities and respect for international humanitarian law. As the conflict drags on, the human toll continues to mount, with vulnerable populations, particularly children, bearing the brunt of the violence. The international community remains committed to supporting Ukraine and ensuring accountability for the crimes committed.
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