The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to protect children and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Speaking on behalf of the organization, Ted Chaiban, UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, emphasized the urgency of halting the violence, as the death toll among children has exceeded 14,000, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Chaiban highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the number of displaced persons has surged to 1.9 million.
Humanitarian aid deliveries have also drastically decreased, with only 15 trucks arriving daily in September, compared to 100 trucks in August. This reduction has severely worsened the already dire situation for Palestinians in the region.
UNICEF previously shed light on the struggles faced by children in Gaza who have been separated from their families due to the ongoing conflict.
Kazem Abu Khalaf, a UNICEF spokesperson, discussed the plight of these “unaccompanied children” who have lost one or both parents, or have been separated from their families amid the chaos of war.
UNICEF estimates that around 1% of the displaced population in Gaza, which translates to approximately 19,000 children, are unaccompanied—many of them orphans, while others have been separated from their parents due to the violence.
These numbers are based on estimates from similar conflict zones, where UNICEF has extensive experience.
Abu Khalaf explained that in some cases, extended families, such as aunts, uncles, or grandparents, step in to care for these children.
While the exact number of unaccompanied children is difficult to determine, UNICEF is committed to providing the necessary support for these vulnerable children during such a critical time.
