Merve Aydogan
10 July 2025•Update: 10 July 2025
HAMILTON, Canada
The UN children's agency on Thursday condemned the "unconscionable" killing of Palestinians, including children, during a distribution of nutritional aid in the Gaza Strip.
"We are appalled by the reported killing of 15 Palestinians, including nine children and four women, who were waiting in line for nutritional supplies for children in Deir al Balah, the Gaza Strip, this morning. An additional 30 people were reportedly injured, including 19 children," UNICEF chief Catherine Russell said in a statement.
Affirming that the aid was "provided by Project Hope, a UNICEF partner organization, to families in desperate need," Russell stressed that "the killing of families trying to access life-saving aid is unconscionable."
"These were mothers seeking a lifeline for their children after months of hunger and desperation. Among them was Donia, whose 1-year-old boy, Mohammed, was killed. She said he spoke his first words to her just hours earlier. Donia now lies in a hospital bed, critically injured by the blast, clutching Mohammed’s tiny shoe. No parent should have to face such tragedy," she said.
Russell said "this is the cruel reality confronting many in Gaza today after months of insufficient aid being allowed into the territory, and parties to the conflict failing to uphold basic responsibilities to protect civilians."
Reiterating UNICEF's call for an immediate ceasefire, she warned that "the lack of aid means children are facing starvation while the risk of famine grows."
"We call on Israel to urgently review its rules of engagement to ensure full compliance with international humanitarian law, notably the protection of civilians, including children, and to conduct a thorough and independent investigation of this incident and all allegations of violations," she said.
Israel has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The bombardment has destroyed the enclave, making it uninhabitable.
