NEW YORK, May 2, 2025 (WAFA) – The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday that Gaza children face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death.
“For two months, children in the Gaza Strip have faced relentless bombardments while being deprived of essential goods, services and lifesaving care. With each passing day of the aid blockade, they face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death – nothing can justify this,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a press statement.
“Families are struggling to survive. They are trapped, unable to flee in search of safety. The land they used to farm has been destroyed. The sea they used for fishing has been restricted. Bakeries are closing, water production is declining, and market shelves are almost bare. Humanitarian aid has provided the only lifeline for children, and now it is close to running out,” she added.
“In the past month, over 75 per cent of households have reported deteriorating access to water – they don’t have enough water to drink, are unable to wash their hands when needed, and often forced to choose between showering, cleaning, and cooking,” she elaborated.
“Vaccines are quickly running out and diseases are spreading – especially acute watery diarrhoea, which now accounts for 1 in every 4 cases of disease recorded in Gaza. Most of these cases are among children under five, for whom it is life-threatening.”
“Malnutrition is also on the rise. More than 9,000 children have been admitted for treatment of acute malnutrition since the beginning of the year. Hundreds more children in desperate need of treatment are not able to access it due to the insecurity and displacement.”
She stressed that Israel, the occupying power, is required by international humanitarian law to “ensure that the population under their control is treated humanely. This not only includes ensuring that civilians have the food, medicine, and essential supplies they need, but also ensuring sufficient hygiene and public health standards.”
She urged all parties to the conflict to “allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance” as well as “allow and facilitate all relevant UN entities to carry out those activities for the benefit of the local population.”
She reiterated UNICEF’s call “for the aid blockade to be lifted, for the entry of commercial goods into Gaza, for the release of the hostages, and for the protection of all children.”
K.F.
