SHAABAN BILAL (GAZA, CAIRO) 

The regional spokesman for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Saleem Oweis, said that the situation in the Gaza Strip is horrific and progressively worse, with no safe places, adding that the number of casualties among children is alarming.

Owais added, in an interview with Aletihad, that approximately a million children have been forcibly displaced from their homes and are being pushed into narrow, crowded areas without water, food, protection, or any of the basic necessities, which exposes them to an increased risk of respiratory infections, transmitted diseases, and the threat of drought and malnutrition.

He said that thousands of children are killed and wounded, adding that among the injured, at least 1,000 lost their limbs, many were exposed to burns and wounds, and others will suffer for life due to their serious injuries.

Owais said: "Official United Nations estimates indicate that about 543,000 children in the Gaza Strip - or about 50% of the children population - are in need of health services and psychosocial support, and they face a horrific reality, as children suffer from psychological distress and shock responses to highly stressful situations. What we saw in Gaza is rare, and we know that exposure to prolonged and repeated periods of traumatic events weakens the body's ability to adapt.

"This is an unprecedented situation where children continuously suffer from violence and fear, without being able to leave or move to a safe place. In other crises, people can at least flee to safety, and in this case, children are not able to escape and remain stuck in a cycle of fear exposure."

Regarding the long-term effects of repeated traumas that children may suffer, Owais said: "They cannot have mental health without safety and access to basic services, and it is very difficult to assess and treat mental health when people are in danger. Once children are safe, they will be able to begin to evaluate the long-term impact."

He pointed out the danger of the current situation for children and families, considering that the greatest danger is "the continued killing of children, and in addition to that, we risk more suffering that may affect their future further". He stressed that a ceasefire is the only way to ensure a halt to the killing.

Owais continued: "UNICEF still works on the ground in Gaza with partners from other international and local organisations to deliver aid and relieve children and families. We appeal to the international community to call for an immediate ceasefire and ensure that aid enters without any restrictions, continuously and safely."

He concluded by emphasising the importance of ensuring the safety of relief workers from UNICEF and other humanitarian organisations to enable them to carry out their work in delivering aid and basic services to all children and families in the Gaza Strip.

UNICEF had previously indicated that all children under the age of five in the Gaza Strip, equivalent to 335,000 children, are at high risk of acute malnutrition and preventable death as the risk of famine continues to increase.

UNICEF estimates that in the coming weeks, at least 10,000 children under the age of five will suffer from the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, known as "severe wasting", and will require therapeutic foods.

This danger comes at a time when the food and health systems in the Gaza Strip are facing complete collapse, with more than 80% of young children suffering from acute food poverty. Over two-thirds of hospitals are no longer functioning due to lack of fuel, water, and vital medical supplies or because they have suffered catastrophic damage in attacks.