UNICEF Deputy Executive Director of Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, Ted Chaiban condemned the recent violence in Gaza and called for all concerned to exercise maximum restraint. In a noon briefing on a mission to Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, he noted that devastating attacks on schools, hospitals, and internally displaced sites continue, with over 14,000 children reported killed.
In a press release issued Thursday, Chaiban said that he had concluded a visit to Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, where he had met with children and families affected by the ongoing conflict. “October 7 was a horrible day, and every day since has been horrible too for children in this fourth major escalation in 10 years and the result of an unresolved conflict and a history of occupation,” Chaiban said.
UNICEF will work with line ministries to ensure that Israeli children are supported, Chaiban said. During his visit, he had urged the Israeli authorities to increase access for humanitarian and commercial supplies, especially fresh foods and nutrition supplies, to protect children. He also met with children and families in Israel who had gone through horrors on the 7 October.
He also called for the prioritization of investment in social services, particularly education, for children in Gaza, noting that thousands of children have already lost months of learning due to the ongoing conflict. Chaiban said that the scale of the destruction and suffering that he witnessed in Gaza had considerably increased since his last visit in January.
He warned that the situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was also extremely volatile and had reached new heights in intensity, with several militarized operations leaving the cities severely damaged or destroyed. “Several militarized operations have left the cities severely impacted, with numerous homes damaged or destroyed. Increasing violence and movement restrictions since October 2023 have created new learning barriers. Since October 7, 166 Palestinian children and two Israeli children have been killed. Children are scared at home, and scared to go to school,” he added.