NEW YORK, February 7, 2009 (WAFA)- The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, along with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)'s aspirations to work efficiently in the challenging year ahead, topped the agenda on the third and final day of the Executive Board's first regular session of 2009.

Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Sigrid Kaag updated the board on relief operations in the wake of the recent Gaza conflict.

'The impact has been quite unique,' said Kaag. 'UNICEF will need to ensure three key areas: continued access to affected regions, unimpeded flow of humanitarian goods to really meet those in need and, finally, taking [emergency assistance] to scale.

'We have to be quick to scale up,' she warned. 'In any crisis there is a window of opportunity, and we can't afford to miss it.'

UNICEF is concentrating on education, water and sanitation, health, nutrition and psychosocial support for children affected by the violence in Gaza. The continuing relief and recovery effort is being carried out in cooperation with local authorities, non-governmental organizations and other UN agencies, Kaag told the board.

'The human impact of the crisis on children, on all children, has been very significant' she said. 'They have witnessed immense violence, they have suffered loss, they have suffered injury.'

UNICEF is sending out psychosocial support teams to check on children's emotional condition in house-to-house visits, Kaag explained. And getting children back to school is another an important factor in restoring normalcy.

'One key to our success will be community,' Kaag concluded, noting the importance of creating a safe and protective environment in classrooms and UNICEF-supported adolescent and family centres.