UNICEF: Gaza’s Children Endure Unimaginable Suffering Amid Ongoing Crisis.

Geneva:

UNICEF Communication Specialist Rosalia Bollen has shared an urgent and heartbreaking update on the dire conditions facing children in Gaza. At a press briefing in Geneva, Bollen described the ongoing trauma endured by children, who are “cold, sick, and traumatized,” with no relief in sight as hunger, malnutrition, and devastating living conditions continue to threaten their lives.

Bollen emphasized that over 96% of women and children in Gaza are unable to meet their basic nutritional needs, surviving on minimal rations of flour, lentils, pasta, and canned food. Humanitarian aid has been severely restricted, with only an average of 65 truckloads of assistance entering Gaza each month compared to 500 truckloads before the war. The northern part of Gaza has been under near-total siege for over two months, leaving many children without access to vital aid.

The situation is further compounded by winter’s harsh arrival. Children are cold, wet, and barefoot, many still wearing summer clothes, and the lack of cooking gas has forced families to burn scraps of plastic for warmth. Meanwhile, diseases are spreading rapidly among vulnerable children, and hospitals are overwhelmed and ill-equipped, suffering from continuous attacks and shortages of essential medicines, medical supplies, and electricity.

Bollen shared the tragic story of Saad, a five-year-old boy who lost his eyesight and sustained serious injuries in a bombing. When asked about his experience, he emotionally recounted, “My eyes went to heaven before I did,” and later froze in terror during a plane flyover. This encounter, Bollen noted, underscored the profound psychological trauma children in Gaza continue to face.

The ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of more than 14,500 children, with countless others suffering physical and emotional scars. Bollen called on the international community to take immediate action, using diplomatic influence to secure the evacuation of injured children for life-saving medical treatment and to push for a ceasefire and the large-scale entry of humanitarian aid.

As the world heads into a season traditionally marked by family, peace, and togetherness, Bollen urged all to remember the millions of children in Gaza who endure unimaginable suffering. “Every day without action steals another day from Gaza’s children,” she said. “Gaza’s children cannot wait.”