UNICEF Spox on if Hamas Steals Aid: ‘Violence Is Never an Answer’, Ours Doesn’t Get Stolen

On Friday’s broadcast of CNN International’s “The Brief,” UNICEF spokesperson Joe English responded to Israel blaming the humanitarian issues in Gaza on Hamas for stealing the aid by stating that “violence is never an answer and never provides a solution to a humanitarian crisis.” And “When we deliver food, we know that it goes to children.”

Host Jim Sciutto asked, “As you know, Israel blames Hamas for this. They blame Hamas for stealing the aid. What are the facts on the ground?”

English responded, “Our response to this has been consistent all the way through, which is that violence is never an answer and never provides a solution to a humanitarian crisis. UNICEF is one of those organizations where we reach people where they are. We do the last-mile delivery. When we deliver food, we know that it goes to children. When we deliver vaccines, we know it’s going in the children’s arms. When we’re doing psychosocial support work to help children deal with the torment that they have been through, we are there with that child. There is no diversion of those kind of services for children. And so, with all of these new plans around we’re going to have a limited number of places where people can come and get aid, survival cannot be the privilege of those who can go and search for it. We have to meet vulnerable children. We have to meet new moms. We have to meet disabled children, the elderly, the sick, the infirm where they are, and that means through sustained, unimpeded humanitarian access, we do this all around the world. Let us do our jobs.”

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