UNICEF warns of unprecedented child deaths amid famine in Gaza

New York: The United Nations Children s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that children in the Gaza Strip are dying at an unprecedented rate amid famine and wo...

New York: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that children in the Gaza Strip are dying at an unprecedented rate amid famine and worsening conditions resulting from the ongoing Israeli war on the enclave since October 7, 2023.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban stated during a media briefing on his recent trip to the Middle East, that the images are seen in the news, but what's happening on the ground is much. The signs of deep suffering and hunger are evident on the faces of families and children.

He emphasized that what is happening in Gaza is inhumane, stressing that what children of all categories need is a sustainable ceasefire and a political path forward.

The UN official added that more than 320,000 young children are today at risk of severe malnutrition, noting that over 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war.

He continued that Gaza now faces an imminent threat of famine. One in every three people in Gaza goes days without food. The malnutrition index has surpassed the famine threshold, with the global acute malnutrition rate now exceeding 16.5 percent.