As the genocide in Gaza enters its third year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a stark warning about the catastrophic toll on children, describing the situation as a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva on October 7, UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires condemned the ongoing escalation and called for an immediate ceasefire, emphasizing that children in Gaza are enduring suffering “no child should ever face.”
UNICEF estimates that one child in Gaza is killed or maimed every 17 minutes. Since October 2023, more than 61,000 children have reportedly been killed or injured—a figure Pires described as “unacceptable” and “staggering.”
“These children have endured repeated displacement, the loss of family, and exposure to conditions no child should ever be forced to witness or survive,” Pires said.
He added that many children are now sharing oxygen masks to survive, as hospitals lack the necessary equipment due to repeated denials of humanitarian access.
UNICEF has been unable to deliver incubators and ventilators to northern Gaza, where premature babies are in critical need of care. One in five babies is now born prematurely or underweight, often to mothers suffering from hunger and extreme stress.
🚨 Two Years That Shook the World: The Unforgettable Cost of Gaza’s Genocide 🚨
They called it a war. The world now knows it was genocide.
Two years since Israel’s assault on Gaza began, the evidence and the numbers reveal a deliberate campaign to erase a people and their… pic.twitter.com/XTzg4iucI4
— Gaza Notifications (@gazanotice) October 7, 2025
In the past two months alone, over 10,000 children have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition, and at least 2,400 children in Gaza City are receiving treatment for severe acute malnutrition, which could prove fatal if access to care is interrupted.
Pires warned that the humanitarian situation is worsening as winter approaches. Falling temperatures pose new health risks for displaced families living in overcrowded tent settlements like Al-Mawasi.
UNICEF has 11,000 tents and tarpaulin sheets ready for delivery, but logistical and security barriers continue to block aid from reaching those in need.
The spokesperson also welcomed the recent peace proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, which includes a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the rebuilding of Gaza.
Hamas has agreed to the plan in principle, and negotiations are ongoing in Egypt. Pires expressed cautious optimism, calling the proposal “a glimpse of hope” for civilians and children in Gaza.
UNICEF and other UN agencies report that only 14 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain partially operational, with none functioning in the north. Just 62 of 176 primary healthcare centers are still active. The World Health Organization has confirmed over 400 malnutrition-related deaths since January 2025.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN relief chief Tom Fletcher have echoed UNICEF’s call for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access.
Fletcher emphasized that “tens of thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands endure starvation and displacement,” urging the international community to act swiftly to end the suffering.
Also Read: Two years of hellish war have devastated Gaza’s children – Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell
Sources:
Palestine Chronicle
UN News
UN News
APP News
Anadolu Agency
