{"id":30660,"date":"2026-06-28T07:18:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T07:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/?p=30660"},"modified":"2026-06-28T07:18:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T07:18:37","slug":"unicef-gaza-ceasefire-has-become-a-deadly-illusion-children-continue-to-pay-the-price","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/unicef-gaza-ceasefire-has-become-a-deadly-illusion-children-continue-to-pay-the-price\/","title":{"rendered":"## UNICEF: Gaza Ceasefire Has Become a \u201cDeadly Illusion\u201d \u2014 Children Continue to Pay the Price"},"content":{"rendered":"

## UNICEF: Gaza Ceasefire Has Become a \u201cDeadly Illusion\u201d \u2014 Children Continue to Pay the Price<\/strong><\/h4>\n

**Al-Waqt** \u2013 The United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (UNICEF) has confirmed that children in the Gaza Strip continue to face tragic humanitarian conditions months after the announcement of a ceasefire. The organization noted that the agreement has failed to provide adequate protection for civilians, as casualties continue and the suffering of residents worsens due to shortages of food, water, and medicine, along with ongoing restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder stated that more than 260 Palestinian children have been killed since the ceasefire began in October 2025, stressing that this reality has turned the ceasefire into a \u201cdeadly illusion\u201d for children who continue to pay the price of war every day.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

—<\/strong><\/h4>\n

### More Than 260 Children Killed Since the Ceasefire<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Elder explained that the figures documented by the organization reflect the ongoing dangers threatening children\u2019s lives, despite talk of de-escalation that was supposed to provide at least minimal protection for civilians. He added that the daily rate of child casualties indicates that at least one child loses their life every day, highlighting the fragility of the security and humanitarian situation in Gaza.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

He emphasized that children remain the most affected group amid the continuing crisis, whether through direct targeting or as a result of the widespread collapse of basic services. Current conditions, he said, do not provide the safe environment children need to live, learn, or even access healthcare.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The UNICEF spokesperson stressed that continued casualties months after the ceasefire announcement raise serious concerns among international organizations and underscore the need for practical steps to ensure civilian protection and implement declared agreements on the ground.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

—<\/strong><\/h4>\n

### A Food Crisis Threatening Children\u2019s Future<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Elder noted that the food situation in Gaza remains extremely dire. The end of famine risk does not mean the end of the food crisis, as thousands of families are still unable to meet their daily needs due to limited aid and continued restrictions on essential supplies.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

He added that most children in Gaza receive only two types of food per day, while almost none are able to access three balanced meals containing the necessary nutrients for healthy growth, such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Malnutrition, he said, has become evident among large numbers of children, potentially leaving permanent health effects, especially among infants and young children, whose bodies require comprehensive nutrition for proper development.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

He warned that the continuation of this situation will lead to higher rates of diseases linked to malnutrition, weakened immunity, and delayed physical and cognitive development \u2014 posing a major challenge to Gaza\u2019s healthcare sector.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

—<\/strong><\/h4>\n

### Shortages of Water and Basic Services<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In addition to the food crisis, the UNICEF spokesperson confirmed that Gaza continues to suffer from a severe shortage of safe drinking water due to damage to infrastructure, as well as ongoing problems affecting desalination plants and sewage networks.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

He pointed out that shortages of fuel and equipment needed to operate vital facilities limit institutions\u2019 ability to provide water and essential services, increasing the likelihood of disease outbreaks \u2014 particularly among children, who are most vulnerable to epidemics and infectious diseases.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Hospitals and health centers, he added, continue to operate with limited capacity amid shortages of medicines and medical supplies, directly affecting the ability of medical teams to treat patients and the injured, especially children requiring specialized care.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

—<\/strong><\/h4>\n

### Mohammed\u2026 A Child Who Lost His Sight<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In one story reflecting the scale of human suffering in Gaza, a Palestinian child named Mohammed sustained a severe injury while being displaced with his family from northern Gaza.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

According to his family, Mohammed was struck directly on the head with the butt of a rifle by a female Israeli soldier, causing a serious injury to his right eye that ultimately resulted in the loss of his vision in that eye.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Mohammed now lives with his family in a displacement tent after they were forced to leave their home due to the war. His only dream is to travel outside Gaza for medical treatment, hoping to regain part of his sight and return to a normal life.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

His story reflects the suffering of thousands of Palestinian children who have sustained permanent injuries, lost limbs, or been deprived of proper treatment due to the dire conditions in the territory.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

—<\/strong><\/h4>\n

### Deep Psychological Impact on Children<\/strong><\/h4>\n

UNICEF emphasized that children\u2019s losses are not limited to physical injuries but extend to psychological and social dimensions. Many children are living with deep trauma after losing family members, witnessing destruction and violence, or experiencing repeated displacement.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The organization explained that children need long-term psychosocial support programs to help them overcome the effects of war, warning that neglecting these aspects could lead to psychological problems lasting for many years.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It also noted that thousands of children have been out of school due to the destruction of schools or their use as shelters for displaced families, depriving them of their right to education and compounding the challenges facing their future.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

—<\/strong><\/h4>\n

### Calls to Facilitate Humanitarian Aid<\/strong><\/h4>\n

UNICEF renewed its call to the international community to intensify efforts to ensure the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all areas of Gaza, stressing that children urgently need food, medicine, clean water, and healthcare services.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The organization emphasized the need to lift restrictions hindering the entry of goods and essential materials to improve living conditions and help curb the deterioration of the humanitarian situation.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It also called for greater protection for children, respect for international humanitarian law, and assurances that civilians are not targeted or exposed to danger, as they are the most vulnerable group in times of conflict.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

—<\/strong><\/h4>\n

### A Continuing Humanitarian Crisis Despite the Ceasefire<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Observers believe that the ongoing deterioration of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, despite months having passed since the ceasefire announcement, confirms that de-escalation alone is not enough to end residents\u2019 suffering unless accompanied by practical measures to restore vital facilities, rebuild what was destroyed, and sustainably provide basic services.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Experts warn that children will remain the most affected group by the consequences of war \u2014 health-wise, psychologically, and educationally \u2014 unless a safe environment is ensured that guarantees their fundamental rights to life, education, and healthcare.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Amid these continuing challenges, UNICEF\u2019s warnings reflect a deeply difficult humanitarian reality. Gaza\u2019s children continue to pay the highest price of the crisis, as calls persist for the international community to take urgent steps to protect them, secure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and ensure the minimum requirements for a dignified life \u2014 months after a ceasefire that the organization says has become, for children, a \u201cdeadly illusion\u201d that has neither stopped the loss of life nor alleviated civilian suffering.<\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

## UNICEF: Gaza Ceasefire Has Become a \u201cDeadly Illusion\u201d \u2014 Children Continue to Pay the Price **Al-Waqt** \u2013 The United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (UNICEF) has confirmed that children in the Gaza Strip continue to face tragic humanitarian conditions months after the announcement of a ceasefire. The organization noted that the agreement has failed to provide …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":30661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-news-and-analysis--"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30660"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30662,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30660\/revisions\/30662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}