Continuing offensive in Gaza killing hopes of peace
Haya Al Hussein calls on both sides to end the despairing rise in death toll
Like many, my family and I have watched with horror the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip over the last two weeks. Missiles, shells and artillery of every shape and size have rained down mercilessly in Israel's latest onslaught, from warships, jets and tanks. They have torn through defenceless homes, hospitals, mosques and schools where countless families take shelter.
In just minutes this week, entire families have been cut down.
The four Bakr boys playing on the beach had no chance to outrun or hide from the relentless shelling. Journalists filmed the last moments of those boys dressed in shorts and T-shirts as they clutched their bleeding stomachs and chests, crying from the pain. All of them were under the age of 12.
Just a day before, the Shabier family buried three children, killed on their roof as they fed pet pigeons in their cages. The oldest was eight, the youngest just six.
The list goes on and on.
As I wrote this, Israeli attacks had killed more than 800 Palestinians, including nearly 200 children. According to the United Nations, roughly 70 per cent of the victims were civilians.