The United Nations body monitoring a key global treaty on the rights of children voiced its deep concern on Tuesday at the "devastating effects" that the current conflict in Gaza is having on children.

"Hundreds of children have been killed or injured, many seriously. Many others have lost their loved ones," said the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which is currently in session in Geneva.

"Children have also experienced serious difficulties in accessing humanitarian aid. The emotional and psychological effects of these events on an entire generation of children will be severe," said the 18-member body in a statement.

According to the Committee, the rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the right of children to life, survival and development and to be protected from all forms of violence, have been "blatantly violated" in the Gaza conflict.

It joined the calls of UN Security Council Resolution 1860, which was adopted on Jan. 8, the UN Secretary-general and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for an immediate cessation of hostilities from both sides in the conflict.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is one of eight human rights treaty bodies whose role is to monitor signatory states' implementation of key international human rights treaties.

The Committee monitors the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and its two Optional Protocols.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2009)