The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned the killing of at least 45 Palestinian children by Israeli forces over the past two days, calling it a heartbreaking reflection of the unrelenting violence Gaza’s children continue to endure under Israel’s ongoing military assault.

In a statement, UNICEF described the killings as part of a broader pattern of systematic suffering inflicted on the children of Gaza, who have been forced to survive without food, water, medicine, or safety under Israel’s blockade and bombardment.

“These children are not only being starved — they are being killed in indiscriminate attacks that show a complete disregard for international law and human life,” the agency said.

Since the start of what many have called a campaign of genocidal aggression, children in Gaza have faced not only near-constant bombardment but also the deliberate denial of life-saving humanitarian aid due to Israel’s blockade of the besieged enclave. According to UNICEF, this has created an environment where survival itself has become a daily battle.

“For the past two months, the situation has further deteriorated due to the imposed blockade of humanitarian aid,” UNICEF warned. “The threats to children’s lives go beyond bombs and bullets. Starvation, illness, and collapse of basic infrastructure are killing children in silence.”

UNICEF denounced the repeated and deliberate violation of Palestinian children’s rights, noting that they have suffered prolonged displacement, loss of family members, and trauma that will scar them for life.

“Nineteen months into this conflict, children have endured unimaginable horrors — from repeated bombings to forced evacuations. They have been stripped of their childhoods, their homes, their families, and their futures,” the statement continued.

Calling for immediate and decisive action, UNICEF demanded a ceasefire, the full respect of international humanitarian law, and the urgent delivery of unrestricted humanitarian aid across all of Gaza.

“The killing and suffering of children must end now,” the agency declared.

The statement reflects growing international outrage at Israel’s conduct in Gaza, with increasing calls for accountability and justice for the Palestinian people. Human rights organizations, civil society groups, and several governments have accused Israel of war crimes and crimes against humanity, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens.

As the world watches, UNICEF’s appeal underscores a harsh reality: Gaza’s children are being sacrificed in a conflict they did not choose — victims of an occupation and siege that continues to rob them of life, dignity, and hope. (ILKHA)