UNICEF Sounds Alarm On Gaza’s Child Humanitarian Crisis

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations agency for children [UNICEF] spokesperson Tess Ingram has highlighted the dire situation facing over one million children in Gaza, who remain in urgent need of food and water.

Ingram said in an interview on Sunday that thousands of children go to bed hungry every night, and approximately 650,000 are unable to return to school despite the recently established ceasefire agreement.

Ingram described the ceasefire as "good news," as it brought an end to the daily bombardments that had been claiming the lives of children. However, she stressed that the ceasefire alone is insufficient to eliminate hunger and ensure families can access safe drinking water.

"Families in Gaza are still struggling daily to survive, and the infrastructure that provided essential services such as water and medical care for children has been severely damaged," Ingram explained, noting that access to these basic necessities remains extremely challenging.

While she mentioned that the amount of aid entering the Gaza Strip had increased slightly during the first two weeks following the ceasefire, Ingram emphasized that this influx is still "woefully inadequate."

She pointed out that the levels of aid currently being received are far below those before the outbreak of hostilities.

Ingram's comments underscored the plight of millions of children in Gaza, with many suffering from treatable illnesses due to a severe shortage of doctors and medical supplies.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis continues to place immense strain on families and health services, leaving many vulnerable children without the care they desperately need.

Despite the ceasefire in Gaza since October 10, conditions remain dire as the IOF restrict access and continue attacks, with the Health Ministry reporting over 68,500 Palestinians martyred in the past two years—mostly women and children—amid widespread destruction and inaccessible areas.