RAMALLAH, August 2, 2025 (WAFA) – The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that children in the Gaza Strip are dying at an "unprecedented" rate amid famine and deteriorating conditions resulting from the ongoing Israeli war on the Strip since October 7, 2023.

Speaking during a press briefing on his recent trip to the Middle East, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban highlighted, "Children in Gaza are dying at an unprecedented rate, and the signs of profound suffering and hunger are evident on their faces."

He added, "We are at a crossroads, and the choices made now will determine whether tens of thousands of children live or die."

After his fourth visit to Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023, the UN official said, "You see the pictures on the news, you know what happened, but it's much more difficult when you're there. The signs of profound suffering and hunger are evident on the faces of families and children."

Chaiban confirmed that more than 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the onset of the war.

He added, "Gaza is now facing an imminent threat of famine. One in three people in Gaza is now going days without food, and the malnutrition threshold has officially surpassed famine levels, with global acute malnutrition rates exceeding 16.5%.

Shaiban continued, "Today, more than 320,000 young children are at risk of acute malnutrition."

He stressed that what is happening on the ground in Gaza is "inhumane," and that what children of all ages need is a sustainable ceasefire and a political path forward.

He reiterated UNICEF’s demand for at least 500 trucks per day to enter the Strip via all routes, carrying both humanitarian aid and commercial goods.

Y.S