“Before this renewed violence, 1.1 million children were already in need of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank – accounting for approximately half the child population.”
- James Elder, UNICEF Spokesperson
In times of such crises, children hurt the most
The situation remains deeply troubling due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza that started on October 7, with thousands of innocent children and families enduring tremendous hardship which is multiplying manifolds with each passing day.
Following days of air strikes and cuts to all supply routes, children and families in Gaza are running out of food, water, electricity, medicine, and safe access to hospitals.
On Wednesday, October 11, Gaza’s sole power plant ran out of fuel, shutting down electricity, water and wastewater treatment. As a result, most residents no longer have access to safe drinking water.
As 1.1 million people – nearly half of them children - have been warned to move out of the way ahead of an expected ground assault, these people have nowhere safe to go, making the situation even worse for them.
As UNICEF and partners continue to assess the situation and provide the urgent support needed, there is a genuine concern that tensions could further escalate in the coming days, further deteriorating the situation in the area.
We need your urgent support to provide immediate relief to children and families in Gaza and wider State of Palestine. Their needs are pressing, and your assistance can bring critical relief to those in distress.
In times of such crises, your donation can make all the difference
UNICEF response will continue to focus on responding to the needs of around one million children currently facing an urgent and pressing need for protection and humanitarian assistance.
To respond to urgent needs for safe drinking water in Gaza, UNICEF has provided water treatment reagent to sustain the UNICEF-supported desalination plant providing water for 75,000 persons. UNICEF has further released medical supplies prepositioned in the Gaza Strip to hospitals, including medicines for at least 1,600 people for one month.
Despite the challenges, UNICEF and its partners are on the ground delivering immediate humanitarian support, including medical supplies, fuel as well as mental health and psychosocial support. With the humanitarian situation rapidly deteriorating, humanitarian actors must be able to safely access children and their families with lifesaving services and supplies – wherever they may be.
But the need is immense and continuously increasing. We need your help to reach more children and their families.
Please donate to send help urgent aid to Gaza and wider State of Palestine.