HAMILTON, Canada

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday warned that Gaza's children have endured "two years of hellish war," with tens of thousands killed, maimed, or displaced amid ongoing Israeli bombardment and deepening famine.

"For more than 700 days, children in Gaza have been killed, maimed, and displaced in a devastating war that is an affront to our shared humanity. Israeli strikes on Gaza City and other parts of the Gaza Strip continue. The world cannot, and must not, allow this to go on," UNICEF chief Catherine Russell said in a statement.

Russell said a staggering "64,000 children have reportedly been killed or maimed across the Gaza Strip, including at least 1,000 babies."

She added that "famine persists in Gaza City and is spreading to the south, where children are already living in dire conditions."

"The crisis of malnutrition, especially among infants, remains shocking," she said, adding that "months without adequate food have caused lasting harm to children's growth and development."

Calling the situation "an affront to humanity," Russell stressed that "the need for a ceasefire could not be more urgent," noting that "at least 14 children have reportedly been killed" since Saturday amid continued Israeli bombing.

UNICEF welcomed all efforts "to end the war and chart a path towards peace in Gaza and the region," but said any plan "must lead to a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the safe, rapid, and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief."

"International humanitarian law is clear," Russell said, urging Israel to "ensure the full protection of the lives of all civilians."

"Every child killed is an irreplaceable loss," she said. "For the sake of all children in Gaza, this war must end now."