UNICEF: Escalation in Gaza City threatens lives of hundreds of thousands of children and renders it uninhabitable

Edward Beigbeder, UNICEF’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, warned of the catastrophic consequences of the military escalation in Gaza City, saying more than 450,000 children are at grave risk, suffering primarily from psychological trauma and severe exhaustion after nearly two years of ongoing war.

Beigbeder said the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas like Gaza City leads to catastrophic levels of destruction, including killing and maiming civilians and destroying infrastructure such as homes, schools and water facilities, leaving the city on the brink of becoming uninhabitable.

He added that more than 10,000 children have suffered acute malnutrition over the past two months, warning that 2,400 children are currently receiving treatment for severe acute malnutrition and face the risk of starving to death if their care is halted.

He concluded that what is happening in Gaza goes beyond a humanitarian crisis to a catastrophe that threatens the future of an entire generation, calling for immediate action to protect children and stop the violence.