ISTANBUL

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Sunday that the Gaza ceasefire agreement is a “vital chance” to protect one million children in the Palestinian enclave.

“Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in wholesale devastation. Words and numbers alone cannot convey the scale of the impact on children that I saw – an impact that will last for generations,” UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Edouard Beigbeder said in a statement.

He said the Gaza ceasefire, which “offers a vital chance for the survival, safety, and dignity of children,” cannot be allowed to fail.

“It will take time, but an inclusive future that prioritizes the rights of Gaza’s one million children is possible with peace, action, and collective will.”

According to UN data, more than 64,000 children have been killed or injured, and more than 58,000 have lost a parent since the outbreak of Tel Aviv’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

“One million children have endured the daily horrors of surviving in the world’s most dangerous place to be a child, leaving them with wounds of fear, loss, and grief,” Beigbeder said.

He noted that UNICEF is working to save children from “preventable threats, like malnutrition, disease, and the winter cold.”

UNICEF has provided face-to-face education for over 100,000 Palestinian children in Gaza, while efforts are ongoing to return all 650,000 school-age children to school.

“The importance of restoring education in this early recovery work cannot be overstated. After two lost years, families know that a return to proper education will provide a foundation for learning, healing, hope, and long-term social cohesion in their communities,” Beigbeder said.

The regional director called for “the safe, rapid and unimpeded movement” of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, noting an increase in the amount of UNICEF aid allowed, which is still not sufficient to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza.

He demanded Israel open all border crossings simultaneously for the entry of humanitarian aid and needed equipment and materials, allowing relief to move through all feasible supply routes, including through Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank.

“UNICEF education kits and mental-health and psychosocial support have been blocked for over a year. We need these kits to enter immediately,” he added.

The first phase of the ceasefire took effect in Gaza on Oct. 10 under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan.

Phase one includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

The Israeli army has killed over 68,000 people and injured more than 170,000 others in a brutal war in Gaza since October 2023, according to the Health Ministry.