Thursday marked 300 days since October 10, 2025, the day the ceasefire was supposed to go into effect in Gaza, but the Israeli military has continued constant violations, and, according to the UN’s child relief agency UNICEF, has killed at least 300 children in that time, or one per day.
“A ceasefire that leaves an average of one child dead each and every day is failing children,” said UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder. “With hundreds more children injured, many severely, children in Gaza are still waiting for the end to the violence they were promised.”
According to the latest numbers from Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks since October 10 have killed a total of 1,255 Palestinians and wounded 4,125.
President Trump and the so-called “Board of Peace” announced on July 30 that a deal has been reached on Hamas disarmament, but Israel escalated its strikes in the days that followed, killing dozens. Since Monday, the IDF has reduced its attacks in Gaza, but they haven’t stopped. The Health Ministry said on Thursday that over the previous 24 hours, five Palestinians were wounded by Israeli attacks and one died of wounds sustained in a previous strike.
“Announcements made in recent days set out a roadmap for the next phase of the ceasefire, including steps towards ending hostilities and scaling up humanitarian relief. This offers new hope and a chance to finally stop children being killed,” Beigbeder said.
“For children in Gaza, the test is simple. Does the killing stop? Does aid reach them at scale? Do hospitals reopen and water flow? Will children return to school safely in September? Children have heard promises before. This time, agreements must translate into action,” he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel rejected the proposal and offered its “comments.” He also met with representatives of the “Board of Peace” on Monday, who walked back a key part of the plan following the talks. The board now says that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza will happen only after Hamas disarms, contradicting its previous statement that the two would happen in “lockstep.”
