UNICEF warned on Wednesday that the halt of aid in the Gaza Strip would have a catastrophic impact on families and vulnerable people in Gaza.
UNICEF has stated that although it provides aid and necessary resources, it is not enough to address the needs in the area. Given the prolonged lack of access that had previously occurred due to the conflict, necessary resources have not been amassed to such an extent that they can sufficiently provide for the population until the halt on aid ends. Specifically, the impact on medical needs for infants would be catastrophic, as there would not be enough supplies left if the blocking continues.
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, UNICEF has been providing crucial aid, including food, water, and medical supplies, sending trucks into the Gaza Strip. However, Israel blocked the deliveries from entering the area on March 2.
Gaza has been suffering from a humanitarian crisis since the eruption of conflict between Israel and Hamas, with over 45,000 Palestinians being killed and at least 1.9 million being displaced. The region has been plagued by shortages of vital resources such as food and clean water, as well as a lack of functioning hospitals. Attacks by the Israeli forces resulted in humanitarian aid being prevented from entering, leaving people with no access to basic needs. This has led to a risk of famine, according to Dr Hanan Balkhy, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, and increasing levels of malnutrition.
As of 2025, only 19 out of the 35 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are functioning at any level, with conditions for children being especially dire due to a lack of adequate medical care, as well as warm clothes and shelter. Since the ceasefire, the UN has provided over 25,000 people with medical care and humanitarian assistance to 195,000 people. However, halting aid into the territory has had a major impact, with food prices increasing by over 100 percent since the blocking.
The halt has been criticized by the UN, as well as by Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa has stated, “It is imperative that the ceasefire – a critical lifeline for children – remains in place, and that aid is allowed to flow freely so we can continue to scale up the humanitarian response.”