The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a stark warning that children in Gaza are dying at an “unprecedented rate” due to famine and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions caused by the ongoing genocide in the Strip since October 7, 2023.
During a media briefing following his recent visit to the Middle East, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban reported that the faces of Gaza’s children show unmistakable signs of deep suffering and hunger, describing the situation as a moral crossroads.
“We are at a tipping point. Decisions taken now will determine whether tens of thousands of children live or die,” he said.
Speaking after his fourth visit to Gaza, Chaiban emphasized that the human toll witnessed firsthand far exceeds what media images convey.
“You see the pictures in the news and think you understand, but being there is incomparably harder. The signs of extreme suffering and hunger are etched into the faces of families and children.”
UNICEF estimates that more than 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict.
Photos of skeletal Gaza infant Mohammed al-Mutawaq went viral last week. Some commentators claimed his condition wasn’t caused by famine. But MEE visited his mother, who shared photos of him healthy before the siege—debunking the denial and exposing the crisis. pic.twitter.com/iPU7XNnpQ2
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 1, 2025
Chaiban further warned of an imminent famine, stating that one in every three Gazans goes days without food. The malnutrition rate has surpassed the official famine threshold, with acute malnutrition now affecting over 16.5% of the population.
According to UNICEF, more than 320,000 young children are currently at risk of acute malnutrition. Chaiban described the conditions on the ground as “inhumane” and stressed that what Gaza’s children urgently need is a sustained ceasefire and a political path forward.
He reiterated the call for the immediate entry of at least 500 trucks daily—both humanitarian and commercial—through all available crossings to prevent further collapse.
