UNICEF Warns of Rising Child Death Risk in Gaza as Ceasefire Opens Door to Larger Aid Flows

Overview

• UNICEF on Friday urged the reopening of crossings for unrestricted food deliveries, warning that infants and babies face a surge in deaths as prolonged undernourishment weakens immunity.
• The UN plans to scale up aid during the first 60 days of the ceasefire, with the World Food Programme expecting about 600 trucks a day, contingent on Israeli withdrawals to expand safe humanitarian zones.
• Access to northern Gaza remains a priority, where the WFP says up to 400,000 people have gone weeks without assistance.
• A Lancet-published UNRWA study estimated 54,600 acutely malnourished children under five, including 12,800 severe cases, after assessing nearly 220,000 children and linking spikes to tightened aid flows.
• UNICEF reported 64,000 children killed or injured and alleged blocked incubator transfers inside Gaza, an accusation Israel and COGAT deny while citing approvals for many humanitarian convoys.