Children Struggle to Survive as Situation Deteriorates in Gaza
Intensified military operations in Gaza are magnifying the danger for children already suffering from multiple displacements and deprivation. UNICEF remains on the ground, doing what it can to protect and care for children and their families. In an urgent update, Jean Gough, UNICEF Representative to the State of Palestine, shares the latest.
A total absence of safe spaces and the widespread denial of essential services and care
After 19 months of war and an 11-week blockade on the delivery of all food, medicines and other urgently needed supplies, the situation for children in Gaza is growing more dire every day.
Late on May 21, UNICEF and other UN agencies retrieved about 90 truckloads of nutrition supplies, medicines and wheat flour that had been cleared for entry at the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza. Every aid truck counts, but this is nowhere near enough: more than 500 trucks are required daily to meet families' most basic needs. UNICEF continues to call for the lifting of the blockade, unimpeded humanitarian access and the delivery of essential supplies and services at scale.
Intensified military operations have forced thousands of families to flee for safety, particularly in the north. Many have lost their homes, family members and access to basic services. — Jean Gough, UNICEF Representative to the State of Palestine
Meanwhile, hundreds have been killed in attacks in recent weeks. As bombardment increases, there is nowhere safe for children to go. In the past two months, more than 950 children have reportedly been killed in strikes across the Gaza Strip.
Jean Gough, UNICEF Representative to the State of Palestine, sounded the alarm in an update to colleagues on May 19. "I wanted to share with you an urgent update since we have witnessed the situation in Gaza rapidly deteriorate in the past 48 hours," Gough wrote. "Intensified military operations have forced thousands of families to flee for safety, particularly from the north. Many have lost their homes, family members and access to basic services."
UNICEF stays to deliver critical lifesaving interventions for children and families in Gaza
With vital support from donor partners, UNICEF remains operational on the ground in Gaza delivering services, despite very low stock levels and extremely challenging conditions. Almost 120 international and national UNICEF staff are active in Gaza, risking their lives to care for children who did not start this war, but are paying the highest price.
Many health and nutrition centers have been damaged or evacuated; those that remain open are overwhelmed. Of the 234 nutrition centers across Gaza, 144 are still operational, but stocks of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for children and ready-to-use complementary food (RUCF) for babies are almost gone.
"Currently we have enough RUTF for less than two months with the existing caseload of children, but the caseload is increasing daily," Gough wrote. Approximately one month of RUCF stock remains, with prioritization for the most vulnerable caseload.
Services provided include malnutrition screening, therapeutic feeding, micronutrient supplementation and caregiver counseling. Mobile outreach teams are also being used to reach displaced populations in accessible areas.
Related: What Is Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food?
Video: Malnutrition crisis in Gaza
More than 9,000 children have been treated for malnutrition in the Gaza Strip so far this year. Food security experts including UNICEF warned in a recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report that nearly 71,000 children under age 5 are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in the months ahead: 14,000 of these children are likely to suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), which can be fatal if left untreated.
“Children are already dying from malnutrition and there are more babies in Gaza now who will be in mortal danger if they don’t get fast access to the nutrition supplies needed to save their lives,” UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram told the Guardian on May 22.
Related: Children in Gaza at Critical Risk of Famine
The latest on UNICEF's ongoing emergency response in Gaza
In recent days, Gough reports, UNICEF's emergency response in Gaza has included support across all sectors:
Immunization: 29 social mobilizers and 3 supervisors were deployed to support the continuation of routine immunization where feasible. Vaccines were delivered to Gaza City last week to sustain services in functioning facilities.
Neonatal care: UNICEF supported the upgrade of Al-Sahaba and Al-Rantisi hospitals in the north to NICU Level 2 Plus, expanding their ability to manage critical neonatal cases. UNICEF is reprinting 100 updated NICU manuals and preparing training in CPAP management and infection control in collaboration with hospital management.
Water, sanitation and hygiene: Despite widespread access restrictions, fuel shortages and security risks, UNICEF continues to support emergency WASH services across Gaza, helping local authorities to sustain critical WASH infrastructure and facilitating water trucking.
Solid waste management operations in Khan Younis continue, although volumes collected are approximately half of normal capacity due to safety concerns affecting municipal workers. The central dumping site remains open and accessible, allowing trucks to offload waste.
Humanitarian cash transfers: Over the past week, UNICEF has provided multipurpose cash assistance in the amount of approximately $270 to more than 7,100 people, including 3,910 children.
In the coming days, UNICEF aims to expand its response by reaching over 1,000 children with SAM, combining cash assistance with a dedicated nutrition cash top-up of approximately $143 to help families cover essential nutritional needs. This support will be delivered alongside planned assistance for thousands of families displaced in northern Gaza due to the ongoing escalation.
Education: Until May 15, approximately 50,000 children from Kindergarten to Grade 12 were attending UNICEF-supported learning centers three days per week, but this is expected to be impacted in the coming days due to the worsening security situation. Centers had been operating across the Gaza Strip using semi-permanent structures and high-performance tents.
Education supplies continue to be distributed or improvised and learning activities are ongoing where possible. Evacuation and safety protocols are in place at all learning centers. UNICEF is currently hiring Health, Safety and Security Officers and distributing First Aid Kits with WHO support for the various education partners.
Child protection: UNICEF continues to deliver emergency child protection services directly and through partners. At this critical time for children in Gaza, UNICEF is focusing on preventing family separation, family tracing and reunification when children do get separated, case management for the most vulnerable children and mental health and psychosocial support, particularly for those impacted by violence in recent days.
In addition, urgent cases are being referred for emergency cash assistance. Support is prioritized for unaccompanied and separated children, child survivors of violence including gender-based violence, and those injured or disabled by the conflict.
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
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