The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has sounded a grave alarm over the plight of children in the Gaza Strip, warning that they are dying at an “unprecedented” rate due to famine, malnutrition, and the ongoing Israeli assault on the territory since October 7, 2023.

Speaking at a press briefing following his recent trip to the Middle East, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban painted a harrowing picture of the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza.

“Children in Gaza are dying at an unprecedented rate, and the signs of profound suffering and hunger are evident on their faces,” Chaiban said. “We are at a crossroads, and the choices made now will determine whether tens of thousands of children live or die.”

Chaiban, who has visited Gaza four times since the war began, stressed the shocking scale of destruction and deprivation. “You see the pictures on the news, you know what happened, but it’s much more difficult when you’re there. The signs of profound suffering and hunger are evident on the faces of families and children,” he said.

According to UNICEF, more than 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war. Chaiban warned that the enclave is now facing an imminent threat of famine, with one in three people going days without food. Global acute malnutrition rates have officially surpassed famine levels, now exceeding 16.5%.

“Today, more than 320,000 young children are at risk of acute malnutrition,” Chaiban warned.

He condemned the situation as “inhumane,” calling for a sustainable ceasefire and a political path forward. He reiterated UNICEF’s urgent demand for a minimum of 500 trucks per day to enter the Gaza Strip via all available crossings, carrying both humanitarian aid and commercial goods.

“This is about life and death for the children of Gaza,” Chaiban emphasized, stressing that immediate action is needed to avert a catastrophe of historic proportions. (ILKHA)