UNICEF: Ongoing Attacks on Gaza a Daily Horror for Children

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has described the ongoing Israeli assaults on Gaza as a terrifying part of daily life for the region’s children, as Israel’s deadly war on the besieged strip enters its 23rd month.

In a statement carried by the Palestinian News Agency WAFA on Tuesday, Ammar Ammar, Regional Chief of Communication for UNICEF in the Middle East and North Africa, warned that relentless bombardment by Israeli forces has not only resulted in widespread death and injury, but has also inflicted deep psychological and emotional trauma on around 1.1 million children in Gaza, severely affecting their mental development.

“During this time, grave violations have become widespread,” Ammar said, adding that children are being systematically deprived of aid, subjected to severe hunger, forced displacement, and the destruction of hospitals, schools, water systems, and homes—all of which have become their daily reality.

“What we are witnessing in Gaza is not merely a war on children, but the destruction of life itself,” he added, pointing out that more than half a million people in Gaza are now trapped in famine-like conditions, with deaths from hunger and preventable diseases continuing to rise.

He highlighted harrowing images of emaciated children and dying infants as evidence of a deliberate starvation campaign, which he said could have been prevented if decisive action had been taken. “But nothing has been done,” he stressed.

Ammar further revealed that malnutrition among children is reaching catastrophic levels, noting that over 12,000 children were diagnosed with acute malnutrition in July alone. Nearly one in four children in Gaza is suffering from severe acute malnutrition—the deadliest form—posing both immediate and long-term risks to survival and development.

Despite UNICEF’s efforts to scale up its operations, Ammar warned that critical food supplies, medicine, and essential aid are being delayed or blocked due to logistical constraints and the ongoing Israeli siege.