Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Sir, – In October last an average of 2,900 children per square kilometre lived across urban areas in the Gaza Strip. To escape Israeli attacks, there has been huge migration southward to Rafah resulting in a massive surge in child density in southern Gaza to about 8,700 per square kilometre. By comparison, Dublin’s child density is only about 240 per square kilometre (36 times lower).

In the absence of a ceasefire, plans by Israel to evacuate over a million civilians around Rafah prior to any assaults offer no safe, viable destinations to fleeing refugees. Consequently, any Israeli assaults in this confined southern area would be catastrophic and exponentially increase child deaths far, far above the current 13,000 level.

To mark their concerns, the EU and governments worldwide should, for starters, demand that Israel be banned from major family-orientated events like Eurovision and the Olympics. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN FLANAGAN,