People gathered in Market Square on Wednesday evening to hold a candlelight vigil for the child victims of ongoing food shortages in the Gaza strip.
The event, held by Amnesty International Quinte and Belleville for Justice and Peace, served as a memorial for victims and as a call for elected officials to stand against the conditions in the region.
Dr. Wendel Block was the keynote speaker for the event, and spoke about the effects starvation has on the human body.
“When there are starvations going on and famines going on anywhere in the world, it is babies and children that die in the largest numbers,” said Dr. Block. “Why is that? It’s because their needs for calories are the highest. They’re still growing and developing.”
During an interview with Quinte News, Dr. Block said that the situation is becoming a catastrophe.
“The main cause of death is usually infection, some kind of infectious disease, often diarrhea. And little babies are very susceptible to diarrhea. They get dehydrated very quickly,” Said Dr. Block. “In Gaza, we know now that it’s not just food that’s a problem. Clean water is also a problem.”
After candles were lit at dusk, participants participated in a brief memorial walk for the victims of hunger and violence in the nearly two-year-long war.
