The recent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip presents—at last—a delicate glimmer of hope for 1 million Palestinian children, enabling them to begin healing and reconstructing their lives following over two years of devastating warfare. Yet, this hope relies on allowing prompt humanitarian assistance into Gaza at , and rapidly reinstating vital services, including education.
Two years of shelling and conflict have wrought catastrophic destruction throughout the territory—exceeding and , causing extensive displacement, and the of , communities, , and . Famine was declared in August in Gaza City, and the entire under-five population of Gaza, , faces the risk of acute malnutrition. Over children have lost one or both parents. Additionally, every child has endured fear, bereavement, and profound interruptions to their education.
Given the absolute devastation and critical humanitarian situation within Gaza, we risk a outcome similar to Yazied.
UNICEF and its partners operating locally are making every effort to respond. While the entry of aid into Gaza has since the cease-fire, we remain hindered from delivering adequate levels of assistance and the full spectrum of essential provisions. Aid is prepared and ready for transport—there is no justification for preventing its passage when children are in dire necessity.
We urge Israel to allow swift and unhindered humanitarian access through all entry points into Gaza, in conjunction with commercial trucking.
UNICEF and other humanitarian organizations possess numerous truckloads of vital supplies poised to enter Gaza—ranging from water purification tablets and nutrition supplements to vaccines and educational resources. Given predictable access, fuel, and necessary clearances, we can provide children with the fundamental items they require to survive and recuperate.
This mandate must encompass the entry of all provisions for education and mental health assistance, which have been withheld for nearly two years. We further demand the prompt approval of restricted items, including all varieties of tents; freezers essential for vaccine storage; medical apparatus; high-capacity generators; piping for water infrastructure repair; equipment for water purification facilities; building materials; and machinery for the removal of mines and unexploded ordnance.
Humanitarian organizations also require the requisite resources to execute their missions effectively. Impediments on operational tools—such as communication apparatus, transport vehicles, and financial means to operate programs—must be removed without delay.
UNICEF implores all involved parties to maintain the cease-fire and guarantee secure transit for humanitarian staff across the entirety of the Gaza Strip.
Our particular concern centers on a crisis embedded within the broader crisis—the breakdown of children’s education. Prior to the conflict, 98% of Gaza’s children had access to schooling—among the highest rates regionally. Currently, an and learning facilities in Gaza have sustained damage or been obliterated, and have been excluded from formal schooling for more than two years.
Education is not a luxury: it serves as a critical lifeline capable of safeguarding children today, while simultaneously contributing to Gaza’s future restoration. Schooling represents an indispensable life-saving service that re-establishes normalcy and optimism, and offers pathways to mental health assistance, nutritional assessments, immunizations, and other crucial forms of support.
Currently, UNICEF is providing foundational learning—including literacy and numeracy—to 15% of school-aged children. However, demand significantly surpasses available capacity, resulting in waiting lists for all temporary learning facilities. It is imperative that we urgently clear debris, remove unexploded ordnance, and accelerate repairs on the remaining classrooms to enable more children to return to school.
This initiative will necessitate more than simply Israel opening all border crossings. It requires a comprehensive campaign to re-establish learning. The duty to safeguard and assist Palestinian children is a shared responsibility. Every government, donor, and institution bears a role in funding the relief effort, supporting rehabilitation, and advocating for the unhindered flow of aid and educational provisions.
A cease-fire that fails to facilitate the influx of vital assistance—including educational resources—will ultimately abandon Gaza’s children. Let this be the opportune moment to open every crossing, dismantle every impediment, and prioritize children—along with their right to education and all fundamental services.
