GENEVA, August 05. /ITAR-TASS/. Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip has killed 408 children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

The death toll exceeded that of the sad 2008-2009 Operation Cast Lead that killed 350 children.

According to UNICEF, over the last month the operation injured no less than 2,500 Palestinian children. A one-month infant is among the victims of the Israeli fire at the Gaza Strip, which is one of the world’s most densely populated areas. The conflict has already claimed lives of 1,800 Palestinians. Six children had been injured, the fund said.

According to the UN, civilians account for more than 70% of those killed; children make up a third of the total civilian death count.

The 29-day military operation has damaged 142 schools, including 89 schools controlled by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). A total of 373,000 children needed psychological aid, UNICEF said.

The Israeli army started Operation Protective Edge (Solid Rock in Hebrew) on July 8 to destroy Hamas underground tunnels leading to Israel. The 72-hour truce in the Gaza Strip came into force on Tuesday morning.