UNICEF Warns of Catastrophe as 450,000 Children in Gaza City Face Deadly Risks from Escalating Military Offensive. 

AMMAN:

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a stark warning about the rapidly deteriorating conditions in Gaza City, where more than 450,000 children are facing imminent danger amid intensifying military operations, famine, and the collapse of vital services.

In a statement released today, Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, described the situation as “an impending catastrophe”, emphasizing that children — already traumatized by nearly two years of war — are “teetering on the edge of survival.”

“The escalating military offensive in Gaza City is having devastating consequences for over 450,000 children,” Beigbeder said. “With famine confirmed, and critical services collapsing, the urgency to act and save lives has never been greater.”

Children Killed, Maimed, and Starving

The UN agency highlighted that the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas, including the Zeitoun neighborhood, has led to a surge in civilian casualties, destroyed shelters, and critical infrastructure — pushing Gaza City toward becoming effectively uninhabitable.

Among the most tragic cases is that of three-year-old Wesam, the sole survivor of a midnight airstrike that killed her entire family, including her pregnant mother and both grandparents. Wesam now lies severely injured in a Gaza City hospital, her leg nearly amputated.

“There is nowhere safe to go,” Beigbeder added. “Children like Wesam are the face of this war — wounded, orphaned, and left in shattered cities with no place to heal.”

UNICEF also confirmed the severity of the hunger crisis, reporting that over 10,000 children have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in Gaza City in just the last two months. Of these, 2,400 children are being treated for severe acute malnutrition — a condition that can lead to death if their treatment is interrupted.

Hospitals, already operating with minimal supplies and electricity, are overwhelmed and failing. Preterm babies in incubators, children in intensive care, and those with disabilities are at grave risk, with medical personnel increasingly unable to protect or evacuate them.

UNICEF: Gaza’s Children Are Running Out of Time

The statement underscores the long-term devastation of the nearly two-year war, which has reportedly left over 50,000 children dead or maimed since the escalation began.

“How many more are needed before the world acts?” Beigbeder asked. “We cannot continue to fail them.”

UNICEF Demands Immediate Action from All Parties and Global Leaders

UNICEF is calling for urgent international action, reiterating its demand for Israel to meet its legal obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of children and civilian infrastructure.

Key demands made by UNICEF include:

• An immediate and sustained ceasefire to end the killing and grave violations against children.
• The release of all hostages by Hamas and other armed groups, ensuring their well-being.
• Sustained, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access, using all available crossings to deliver food, medical aid, fuel, and water.
• Protection of critical infrastructure including hospitals, shelters, and water systems.
• No forced displacement of civilians. Those unable or unwilling to evacuate must be protected where they are.
• Safe access for humanitarian organizations and personnel to reach children and families across the Gaza Strip.

“We are gravely concerned about the future of Gaza’s children. They need peace, they need food, they need medical care — but above all, they need protection,” UNICEF stressed.

A Call to Global Conscience

With no end in sight to the hostilities and humanitarian collapse, UNICEF warned that any further intensification of the military campaign in Gaza City will “multiply children’s suffering exponentially”, effectively tearing away what little remains of their safety and humanity.

“The world must not look away,” Beigbeder urged. “These children are running out of time — and the world is running out of excuses.”