Ankur Desai

the stability, the normalcy of being in school.

And I have to say, we're also facing a protection crisis.

Over 540 children have been registered by UNICEF and protection partners as being unaccompanied, so separated from their families.

And then we have this issue of abduction, which is terrifying for mothers who lose their children and mothers overall.

Both the government and the opposition have signed an action plan to desist from recruiting and using children in their forces.

We've also called on the parties to de-escalate and return to a political dialogue.

There needs to be a political way forward.

There needs to be full access for humanitarians on the ground.

That's UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaban speaking to James Coppenaw.

Holy Week leading up to Easter in Jerusalem has been a subdued affair this year, as the war against Iran continues.

It's been the same story for Muslims with Eid and now Israeli Jews with Passover.

Pilgrims and tourists have stayed away, while sacred sites with immense significance for billions of Christians, Muslims and Jews around the world have been closed in the old city.

But the spirit of Jerusalem has survived, as our correspondent Sebastian Usher has been finding out.

Yes, very quiet.

Old friends meeting up again in the Christian quarter in the old city, lamenting events that have made Holy Week leading up to Easter a shadow of itself.

Isa, a Jerusalem resident whose family has lived here for generations, tries to be hopeful, as befits the man known as the city's one and only Santa Claus.

Whatever happened, still Jerusalem, you can feel the heart still beating.

With him are Tom and Samantha, an American couple who've been coming here for Easter for the past eight years and were not going to be put off this year.

We felt like this was something we were supposed to do, so we were feeling a little frustrated because we did try to come and the flights got canceled.

And we felt really strongly, because we come to pray, the events need prayer.