The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that Gaza is facing “a real child survival crisis” after famine was officially declared in the besieged Palestinian territory, stressing that it is “already too late” for many children.
The grim assessment comes as at least four children were confirmed among those killed in Israeli airstrikes in the early hours of Saturday, following a bombardment on Friday that left at least 71 people dead.
Rising Toll of Starvation
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that two more people died of starvation within the past 24 hours, raising the death toll from hunger and malnutrition to 273 — including 112 children.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also sounded the alarm, describing conditions in Gaza City as catastrophic.
“Starvation, disease and death are overwhelming people trapped by the offensive,” the organization said in a statement.
Humanitarian Catastrophe Deepens
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, now in its 11th month, has killed at least 62,263 people and wounded more than 157,000, according to health authorities in the enclave.
The war began after Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which 1,139 people were killed and more than 200 others taken captive.
Meanwhile, aid agencies warn that continued restrictions on humanitarian access and relentless bombardments are accelerating the collapse of civilian life in Gaza, leaving families with little food, medicine, or clean water.
