Source: United Nations (video statements)
UN agencies reported that for the first time in many months, there are signs that the vital ceasefire in Gaza is making a difference in the lives of over one million children, but warned that the situation remains “extremely precarious and deadly" for many.
Ted Chaiban, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) briefed reporters on their recent visit to the Strip.
The UNICEF deputy chief said, “since the agreement took hold, we’ve seen improvements impacting children’s lives. More truckloads of lifesaving aid are entering Gaza, albeit not yet sufficiently to meet the magnitude of needs. Commercial goods have reappeared, and in markets we saw vegetables, fruits, chicken, eggs.”
He added, “The food security situation has improved and famine has been reversed. Recreational kits designed to help children heal and deal with their stress and trauma have finally started to reach children who have not played freely in over two years.”
However, with progress made, Chaiban warned that the situation “remains extremely precarious and deadly for many children.”
He said, “More than 100 children have been reportedly killed in Gaza since the ceasefire of early October. Despite the progress with food security, 100,000 children remain acutely malnourished and require long-term care. 1.3 million people, many of them children, are in urgent need of proper shelter.”
“Families are living in tents and bombed out buildings battered by heavy rains, strong winds and freezing temperatures. It really is miserable in those tents,” the UNICEF deputy chief said.
Chaiban also expressed his “deep” concern about the implication of the deregistration of international NGOs, “which risks undermining monitoring operations and sharply limiting the delivery and scale up of lifesaving assistance across Gaza and the West Bank,” he said.
On Phase two of the implementation of the ceasefire, Chaiban said that it is not just a “political milestone, but a humanitarian necessity.”
He continued, “We are thankful that the remains of Ran Gvili were recovered, which helps us move towards Phase two.”
The UNICEF deputy chief added, “It is a chance to turn fragile improvements into something more durable, including with recovery and reconstruction and a safer environment for children.”
He also told reporters that he met with the Israeli authorities and asked them to open more routes for humanitarian and commercial supplies.
“We need to allow people to move in and out safely for medical care. Family reunification and essential services. We called for the Rafah corridor to be open again for two-way traffic as announced, and for it to remain open so children who need urgent medical evacuations can have a better chance at treatments.” he said.
WPF deputy chief Carl Skau briefed the reporters via video link from Rome.
Skau said, “Some commercial goods are also flowing into Gaza, market are more active, although food prices are still too high for most families. And with this in December, we’ve been able to scale up e-wallet cash support to some 60,000 households, being able to buy from the markets.”
The WFP deputy chief highlighted, “The immediate priority is to really flood the Strip with shelter, to give families protection against the biting cold and driving rains.”
He continued, “Gaza also needs more commercial supplies, especially fresh foods. And as a market activity picks up, we want to really expand cash assistance working with UNICEF and others to also boost the local food system and economy.”
Asked about reports of gender-based violence in the Strip, UNICEF’s Ted Chaiban said, “What we’re doing about is to try to have in place through national NGOs, a network of social workers that can offer an address where you can go to report if you were either experiencing sexual violence or aggression or even are feeling depressed or otherwise needs any kind of support. It’s a combination of counseling and referral services within the context of what’s possible in Gaza.”
He emphasized that lifesaving humanitarian assistance is not limited to health, nutrition, water, recognizing that protection and education in emergency are also lifesaving activities.