The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has described the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a “vital chance” to safeguard the lives and dignity of one million children trapped in the devastated Palestinian enclave.

In a statement issued Sunday, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, said that months of Israeli military assaults had left Gaza in ruins, with the scale of suffering among children “beyond words or numbers.”

“Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in wholesale devastation. Words and numbers alone cannot convey the scale of the impact on children that I saw – an impact that will last for generations,” Beigbeder said.

He stressed that the ceasefire “offers a vital chance for the survival, safety, and dignity of children” and warned that it “cannot be allowed to fail.”

According to UN figures, more than 64,000 Palestinian children have been killed or injured since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, while over 58,000 have lost at least one parent.

“One million children have endured the daily horrors of surviving in the world’s most dangerous place to be a child,” Beigbeder added. “They carry wounds of fear, loss, and grief that will shape their lives for years to come.”

UNICEF continues to provide humanitarian support across the enclave, focusing on saving children from preventable threats such as malnutrition, disease, and cold weather. The agency has delivered face-to-face education to over 100,000 children and is working to help another 650,000 return to school.

“The importance of restoring education in this early recovery work cannot be overstated,” Beigbeder said. “After two lost years, families know that a return to proper education will provide a foundation for learning, healing, hope, and long-term social cohesion.”

The UNICEF official urged for the “safe, rapid, and unimpeded movement” of humanitarian aid into Gaza, noting that although aid deliveries have recently increased, they remain far below what is needed to sustain civilians.

He called on Israel to open all border crossings simultaneously for the entry of humanitarian aid, equipment, and materials — including through Egypt, Jordan, and the West Bank — to ensure consistent relief access.

“UNICEF education kits and mental health and psychosocial support have been blocked for over a year,” Beigbeder said. “We need these kits to enter immediately.”

Beigbeder concluded that an “inclusive future” for Gaza’s children remains possible if peace, action, and collective international will prevail, emphasizing that the ceasefire represents a crucial turning point for the survival and recovery of an entire generation. (ILKHA)