As Gaza’s war-weary families cling to hope after nearly two years of relentless bombardment, UNICEF warns that a sustainable ceasefire must translate into immediate humanitarian action to save children from famine, disease, and cold.

After more than 700 days of relentless Israeli aggression, Gaza’s skies may finally grow quiet — but for the survivors, especially children, the struggle for life continues. UNICEF has called for swift, unhindered humanitarian access to deliver critical aid to the devastated enclave, describing the situation as “the worst child catastrophe of the 21st century.”

According to the UN agency, every hour for the past two years, a Palestinian child was killed. More than 64,000 children have been killed or maimed, including over 1,000 infants, in what UNICEF described as a “war on childhood.” With over 90 percent of Gaza’s population displaced, many multiple times, families now live in makeshift shelters or rubble, enduring famine, disease, and the bitter cold.

“This war has destroyed Gaza’s future generation,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “A genuine ceasefire must be more than words — it must be sustained, respected, and centered on children’s rights. Every crossing must open so every child, north to south, receives the essentials for survival.”

The Humanitarian Catastrophe: Hunger, Cold, and Disease

Russell warned that malnutrition is spreading rapidly, particularly among infants and pregnant women. “We risk seeing a massive spike in child deaths — not only newborns but also infants whose immune systems are already weakened by starvation,” she said.

UNICEF reports that Gaza’s winter will worsen the crisis. Thousands of children have no warm clothes or shelter. “Last winter, newborns froze to death in incubators that lost power,” Russell noted. “This year, without action, we may see even greater tragedy.”

The agency currently has 1,300 aid trucks waiting around Gaza, carrying nutrition packets, medical kits, tents, and blankets. But without full humanitarian access, those supplies cannot reach the families who need them most.

“Flood Gaza with Life-Saving Aid”

UNICEF says it can immediately improve nutrition for 50,000 at-risk children under age five and 60,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women — but only if aid is allowed in at scale. “We have the capacity. We have the supplies. What we need is freedom to operate,” Russell said.

At the top of UNICEF’s urgent priorities is the delivery of 1 million blankets — one for every child in Gaza — along with two winter clothing kits for each baby under 12 months to help families withstand the approaching cold. The agency is also prioritizing the provision of tents, tarps, and heating supplies for displaced families, medical supplies and vaccines to prevent the spread of disease, and the repair of water and sanitation systems, including solid waste management, to restore basic living conditions.

In addition, UNICEF aims to distribute School-in-a-Box kits and psychosocial support tools to help Gaza’s war-traumatized children begin the process of recovery, regain a sense of normalcy, and return to learning after enduring unimaginable hardship.

Rebuilding Gaza’s Future

UNICEF emphasized that recovery must start now. Beyond emergency aid, the agency urged the resumption of education and mental health support to rebuild Gaza’s broken childhood. “These children have lived through unimaginable horror. They need care, stability, and the chance to learn again,” Russell said.

Calling on all sides to ensure the ceasefire leads to lasting peace, UNICEF stated: “The deal must not be a pause before another wave of destruction — it must be the beginning of life returning to Gaza.”

The Children of Gaza Cannot Wait

UNICEF’s message is clear: Gaza’s children cannot afford another broken promise.

They need open borders, consistent aid, and a world that refuses to look away.

As Russell concluded, “It will be a long road to recovery — but we are ready. The aid must flow. Every hour we delay, more children die.” (ILKHA)