The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, said on Friday 17 children and teenagers had died in fighting between Palestinian demonstrators and Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza.
UNICEF spokeswoman Lynn Geldof said 40 per cent of those hurt in the clashes, which erupted last week were under the age of 18. Most of the 17 children who died were between 12 and 18, she added.
"UNICEF is worried about the long-term impact of renewed violence on children's sound development," she told reporters here.
The UN agency is providing psychosocial support to parents, teachers and counselors who deal with children, and training for mental health workers in the region. It has offices in Jerusalem, Gaza and Ramallah.
Nearly 80 people have lost their lives, mostly Palestinians, in the violence which erupted last week – GENEVA (AFP)
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