TEHRAN – The United Nations has underscored the stark reality for children facing the U.S.-backed Israeli genocidal war in the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), took to social media to share a harrowing message about the ongoing tragedy in Gaza. 

In his post, Lazzarini described the devastating toll the genocidal war is taking, calling Gaza “no place for children.”

Citing UNICEF figures, Lazzarini revealed that 14,500 Palestinian children have been killed since the start of the war, amounting to an unimaginable rate of “one child killed every hour”.

“These are not numbers. These are lives cut short,” he wrote, stressing the unimaginable loss of young lives. 
Lazzarini’s post highlighted not only the fatalities but also the lasting scars on those who survive. 

“Those who survive are scarred physically and emotionally. Deprived of learning, boys and girls in Gaza sift through the rubble,” he said.

His words carried a stark warning about the long-term consequences for Gaza’s youth. “The clock is ticking for these children. They are losing their lives, their futures, and mostly their hope,” the Commissioner-General stated.

The post has resonated widely on social media, prompting calls for immediate action to protect Gaza’s children and provide humanitarian assistance. Lazzarini ended with a powerful reminder that “Killing children cannot be justified.”

Childhood innocence has been overshadowed by devastation, trauma, and deprivation in one of the most heart-wrenching places on earth, UNICEF’s Communication Specialist Rosalia Bollen said. 

In an emotional statement, Bollen painted a harrowing picture of the daily reality for over a million children trapped in Gaza, urging the global community to take immediate action to save lives and ease suffering.

“Children in Gaza are cold, sick, and traumatized,” said Bollen. “Hunger and malnutrition, coupled with dire living conditions, are putting their lives at risk. Over 96% of women and children cannot meet their basic nutritional needs. Most are surviving on rationed flour, lentils, pasta, and canned food, a diet that slowly compromises their health.”

The scale of the humanitarian crisis has deepened dramatically, with aid entering Gaza at a trickle. 

Bollen revealed that in November, an average of only 65 truckloads of assistance entered Gaza per day, compared to 500 daily before the war. 

The northern part of Gaza, under siege for more than 75 days, has been particularly affected, with children in urgent need unable to access essential aid for over 10 weeks.

“Gaza must be one of the most heartbreaking places on earth for humanitarians. Every small effort to save a child’s life is undone by fierce devastation,” she said. 

According to Bollen, over 14,500 children have been reportedly killed in the past 14 months, with thousands more injured.

In a chilling briefing, Bollen shared the story of five-year-old Saad, a boy who lost his eyesight in a bombing and sustained severe injuries. “When I met him, he told me: ‘My eyes went to heaven before I did.’ Hearing those words and seeing his distress was unbearable,” Bollen recounted.

As Gaza enters the cold winter months, the situation for children has worsened. Many lack adequate clothing and are forced to search the rubble for scraps of plastic to burn for warmth. 

Hospitals are overwhelmed, running on limited fuel and lacking basic supplies and medicines. Diseases are spreading, further endangering vulnerable children.

“The suffering is not merely physical; it is also psychological,” said Bollen, sharing the heart-wrenching story of a seven-month-old baby boy, also named Saad, who died of malnutrition after months of struggling to survive. 

“He was born in war and left this world without being given a chance to live in peace. I cannot even start to imagine the depth of suffering of his parents.”

As the world prepares for festive celebrations, Bollen called on people to reflect on the plight of Gaza’s children and use their voices, political capital, and diplomatic leverage to push for urgent action. 

“We must push for the evacuation of grievously injured children to seek life-saving care elsewhere and demand a ceasefire to allow aid to enter at scale,” she said.

Bollen’s plea concluded with a stark warning: “Every day without action steals another day from Gaza’s children. Every delay costs more lives. This war should haunt every one of us. Gaza’s children cannot wait.”

As winter tightens its grip on Gaza, the world must decide: will it stand by or stand up for the most vulnerable in society?