UNICEF: More than 350 aid trucks belonging to the organization enter Gaza, and the children most affected by the crisis

In a statement issued on Monday, UNICEF reported that trucks loaded with water, hygiene supplies, malnutrition treatments, warm clothes, tarpaulins and other critical humanitarian aid entered from crossing points in both the north and south of the Gaza Strip and are being distributed with partners to families in need.

The organization’s executive director, Catherine Russell, said: “Our teams are working around the clock to scale up much-needed humanitarian assistance, especially in areas that were not reached before the ceasefire due to challenges or operational constraints.”.

She added that the ceasefire provided some relief, but families are returning to the areas that were completely destroyed, warning that ‘The physical and emotional scars are deep’.

Children most affected

UNICEF explained that children are the most affected by this crisis and need urgent attention to meet their immediate needs and ensure their safety, education, and well-being.

She added that the ceasefire alone will not end the suffering of children in the Gaza Strip, and that with the collapse of all basic services, and the extent of the destruction inflicted on homes, health and educational facilities, the level of humanitarian needs is almost unimaginable.

UNICEF is targeting to deliver 50 trucks per day in this first phase of the ceasefire, and has hundreds of pallets carrying aid already stocked on the Gaza Strip border, with more on the way, prioritizing items identified by local communities and humanitarian partners as the most urgent.

A call to end the detention of children

UNICEF said service delivery to children and their families, including mental health, psychosocial support, water, sanitation and basic nutrition services, is being intensified on the ground.

It also focuses on providing vaccines and support teams for compensatory immunization activities to prevent disease outbreaks, while expanding screening and treatment for malnutrition. Hospitals in the Gaza Strip, especially in the north, will receive support to increase their capacity, especially in neonatal units.

UNICEF welcomed the release of 12 children as young as 15 years old from detention in Israel, as well as young people who were arrested for the first time as children. She called for an end to the detention of children in all its forms. It renewed its call for the release of all hostages from the Gaza Strip, especially the two remaining children.