Gaza Herald- Despite the current ceasefire in Gaza, the suffering of children remains severe due to harsh winter conditions, ongoing violence, and widespread malnutrition resulting from prolonged restrictions, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Kazem Abu Khalaf, UNICEF spokesperson in Palestine, said in remarks to Anadolu Agency that “the people of Gaza, especially civilians, women, and children, are still enduring unimaginable hardship.”
He noted that while the ceasefire has reduced direct attacks, the humanitarian situation remains dire. “Children in Gaza are facing freezing temperatures in makeshift shelters, alongside critical shortages of food, clean water, and essential healthcare,” Abu Khalaf added.
Since October 2023, Gaza has been subjected to what he described as “extremely brutal” attacks, which have compounded the already fragile living conditions in the densely populated enclave.
UNICEF continues to call for safe and sustained access to humanitarian aid, emphasizing the urgent need to prioritize the protection and well-being of children in all responses to the ongoing crisis.
UNICEF’s spokesperson Kazem Abu Khalaf further revealed that over 80 children have been killed since the ceasefire was announced, emphasizing that “the weather is unbearable for children. Temperatures continue to drop, and we’ve received reports of tents being flooded.”
Despite the continuous efforts by UNICEF and other humanitarian organizations to deliver aid, Abu Khalaf stressed that “the situation remains extremely difficult.”
He noted that children have been the hardest hit by the Israeli attacks, enduring “unimaginable pain” over the past two years. “More than 20,000 children have been killed, and over 44,000 have been injured since October 2023,” he said. “The suffering goes beyond physical injuries—it’s psychological and deeply emotional.”
Abu Khalaf added that thousands of children have been orphaned, while many have lost limbs. “All 638,000 school-aged children in Gaza have lost two academic years due to the war,” he noted, calling for urgent psychosocial support for every child in Gaza, who now make up half the territory’s population.
He also referenced World Health Organization data showing that nearly 4,000 children require medical evacuation from Gaza to receive critical treatment.
While a ceasefire technically came into effect on October 10, Israel has repeatedly violated its terms, delaying the transition to the second phase of the agreement. Israeli authorities claim the delay is linked to the search for the remains of a missing soldier believed to be held in Gaza, despite Palestinian factions actively searching amid the vast destruction.
Even after the official end of the Israeli genocide, Gaza’s humanitarian conditions have seen no meaningful improvement. Tight Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid trucks continue, violating humanitarian protocols laid out in the ceasefire agreement.
