Transcript

I just received the news that Joanna died a little girl forced to endure so much pain because of deliberate decisions that were made to restrict the entry of food into the Gaza Strip. I met her in the north in Camelot One hospital and we were moving her to the South of Gaza in an ambulance to get the life saving treatment that she so desperately needed. I remember holding her frail little hand and and helping her into the ambulance and after that day I wondered so many times as where is Yana now? Is she OK? Just a couple of weeks ago and in Gaza City I walked into a hospital and found her again acutely malnourished. The world failed Jana so many times, felt her on foot twice she recovered and then relapsed. And then the health system, decimated by this conflict, wasn't able to give her the care that she needed. And then her last hope, medical evacuation out of the Gaza Strip, failed her. No country stepped up and was able to get Jana out of the Gaza Strip. You, UNICEF stands in solidarity with her family, her mother Nesma and the rest of their family for the death of Jana and also her two year old sister Jury, who died from malnutrition just a few weeks before Jana did. This war must end now. Aid must be allowed into the Gaza Strip, including food and nutrition suppliers. Humanitarians must be allowed to do their jobs. Are being punished by these decisions and it's killing me.