UNICEF: More than one million children in Gaza go to bed hungry

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) confirmed on Sunday that more than one million children in the Gaza Strip still need water and food. UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said that thousands of children in the Strip go to bed hungry every night, despite the ceasefire agreement, while 650,000 of them need to return to school.

Ingram added, “The ceasefire is good news because it means an end to the daily bombardment that was killing children, but it is not enough on its own to end hunger or ensure families have access to safe drinking water.” She noted that families in Gaza are still struggling daily to survive.

She explained that the infrastructure that provided water and medical care for children has been severely damaged, making access to these essential services extremely difficult. 470,000 displaced people have returned to northern Gaza despite the destruction and the widespread presence of unexploded ordnance.

A spokesperson for UNICEF indicated that the amount of aid entering the Gaza Strip after the ceasefire saw a slight increase during the first two weeks, but it remains woefully inadequate. She emphasized that the quantities received are still far below the levels that were entering before the war.

She explained that thousands of children are still suffering in hospitals from treatable illnesses, but the shortage of doctors and medicine leaves them in pain without treatment.