UNICEF: The war on Gaza represents an affront to humanity, and a ceasefire is an urgent necessity.

The Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, confirmed that the ongoing suffering of children in Gaza for more than 700 days is an affront to our shared humanity, calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the war that has caused unprecedented humanitarian tragedies.

Russell stated in a press release that Israeli airstrikes on the city of Gaza and other parts of the Strip are still ongoing, emphasizing that the world must not allow this catastrophic situation to continue.

She added that reports over the past two years indicate that around 64,000 children have been killed or injured across Gaza, including at least 1,000 infants, stressing that the number of casualties could be much higher due to the unknown number of children who have died from diseases or are still trapped under rubble.

She explained that famine continues in the city of Gaza and extends southward, where children are living in "harsh and shocking" conditions, noting that the crisis of malnutrition, especially among infants, has reached alarming levels.

Russell emphasized that the need for a ceasefire has become extremely urgent, pointing out that recent reports since last Saturday morning indicated the death of at least 14 children due to the ongoing intense Israeli bombardment of the city of Gaza and other areas in the Strip.

She expressed UNICEF's welcome for all international efforts aimed at ending the war and charting a path toward peace in Gaza and the region, affirming that any peace plan must include an immediate ceasefire, the release of prisoners, and the provision of safe, rapid, and unobstructed humanitarian corridors to deliver aid through all possible crossings and routes, to the extent needed by all residents of Gaza, especially children.

She confirmed that international humanitarian law is clear on this matter, stating that depriving civilians of humanitarian assistance is absolutely prohibited and that all military operations must be guided by the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution.