At the close of the year 2009, the effects of Israel's military operations in Gaza, codenamed “Operation Cast Lead”, from December 27, 2008 to January18,2009 were still being felt across the Gaza Strip. Thousands of Gaza residents, including children, are still living in alternative or temporary accommodation and many schools, health facilities and parts of vital water and sanitation infrastructure networks have not been rehabilitated or repaired. The ongoing blockade by Israel and the resulting lack of necessary materials in Gaza make such repairs and rehabilitation difficult, disclosed United Nations' Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon here last night in a latest report on "Children and Armed Conflict." The section as regards the Developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, the report said a total of 374 Palestinian children were killed and 2,086 were injured during the period under review, including at least 350 killed and 1,815 injured in Gaza alone. Seven Palestinian children were used by Israeli soldiers as human shields in three separate incidents during “Operation Cast Lead.” --MORE
