Gaza Herald – Over one million children in Gaza are facing severe hunger and dehydration, UNICEF warned, as Israel’s blockade continues to restrict food, clean water, and essential supplies despite the declared ceasefire. Thousands of children go to sleep hungry every night, many surviving on a single meal or less.
UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said the ceasefire alone cannot stop the spread of starvation or restore access to drinking water, noting that Gaza’s water, sanitation, and healthcare systems have been systematically destroyed. Families are struggling daily to survive amid collapsed hospitals and dwindling supplies.
Although humanitarian aid entering Gaza has increased slightly since the ceasefire began, UNICEF confirms it remains far below pre-war levels and nowhere near enough to meet the massive humanitarian needs created by Israel’s months-long bombardment and siege.
Hospitals continue to report children arriving with severe malnutrition, dehydration, and preventable illnesses, while medical staff work with critically limited medicine, equipment, and fuel. Many injured and sick children are left untreated, often in pain, due to the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.
Meanwhile, UNRWA is attempting to restore education for displaced children by opening 485 temporary learning spaces across 67 shelters and activating remote learning programs to reach over 300,000 students. But destroyed schools now shelter hundreds of thousands of displaced families, making regular schooling nearly impossible. Despite the devastation, Palestinian educators and volunteers continue to run classes in tents and damaged classrooms to keep children’s futures alive.
