64,000 children killed or maimed in two years of ‘hellish’ war on Gaza: UNICEF
UNICEF has warned that two years of Israel’s “hellish” war on Gaza have devastated the children in the besieged Palestinian territory, amid ongoing strikes and deepening famine.
“For more than 700 days, children in Gaza have been killed, maimed, and displaced in a devastating war that is an affront to our shared humanity,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement on Wednesday.
As the Israeli strikes on Gaza continue, Russell stressed that “the world cannot, and must not, allow this to go on.”
She stated that “a staggering 64,000 children have reportedly been killed or maimed across the Gaza Strip, including at least 1,000 babies” since the start of the war, noting that the death toll could be higher, as many bodies are still trapped under the rubble and more children have died from preventable illnesses.
According to the statement, Gaza children are also suffering from famine due to Israel’s blockade of aid.
“Famine persists in Gaza City and is spreading to the south, where children are already living in dire conditions. The crisis of malnutrition, especially among infants, remains shocking. Months without adequate food have caused lasting harm to children’s growth and development.”
Russell urged Israel to “ensure the full protection of the lives of all civilians”, saying, “Denying humanitarian assistance to civilians is unequivocally prohibited.”
According to the statement, UNICEF “welcomes all efforts to end the war and chart a path towards peace in Gaza and the region.”
Calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the “safe, rapid and unimpeded” passage of humanitarian relief, Russell said, “Every child killed is an irreplaceable loss. For the sake of all children in Gaza, this war must end now.”
‘No child should ever experience this terror’
On October 7, UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Perez told reporters that children in Gaza are enduring levels of violence and fear “no child should ever experience.”
Noting that children have borne a devastating share of the toll, Perez said one child is killed or injured every 17 minutes.
He said the figure was “shocking and unacceptable,” adding that many children have been orphaned or repeatedly displaced.
The children in Gaza, he said, face daily horrors, including loss of family, forced flight, and lack of safety.
Perez said Israel’s blockade of aid has also increased their suffering.
He called on Israel to stop its attacks and agree to a ceasefire, citing the “unprecedented” levels of violence.
Israel launched the campaign of genocide on October 7, 2023, after Palestinian resistance fighters waged Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the Zionist entity in response to the regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
Since March 2, when Israel violated its ceasefire agreement with Hamas, the regime has sealed all border crossings, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and further deepening Gaza’s already dire humanitarian crisis.
The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed more than 67,183 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry of Gaza.
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