The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has sounded the alarm over what it called a “catastrophic” humanitarian situation unfolding in the Gaza Strip, where more than one million children have been left without access to lifesaving aid for over a month due to a prolonged Israeli blockade.

Since March 2, 2025, no humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza, marking the longest such interruption since the Israeli war began. The consequences are dire: soaring rates of malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and a collapsing child health infrastructure.

“Most of this aid is lifesaving – yet instead of saving lives, it is sitting in storage,” said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “This is not a choice or charity; it is an obligation under international law.”

According to UNICEF, more than 15 percent of outpatient treatment centers for malnourished children have shut down due to displacement and bombardment. Some 350 children who had been receiving critical care are now without access to support, putting them at heightened risk of life-threatening complications.

Formula dwindles as 10,000 infants face hunger crisis 

The nutritional crisis is compounded by the depletion of essential infant food, as per the agency. Stocks of ready-to-use infant formula (RUIF) can only support 400 infants for another month, while nearly 10,000 babies under six months urgently require supplemental feeding. Many families, unable to access formula, may be forced to use unsafe water to mix substitutes — a dangerous prospect as clean water becomes increasingly scarce.

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In central and southern Gaza, UNICEF reported that power cuts have reduced output at the main desalination plant by 85 percent. Meanwhile, damage to critical water pipelines remains unaddressed due to ongoing Israeli assaults. Access to clean drinking water has plummeted from 16 litres per person per day to just six—and may fall below four if fuel supplies run out. This drop, UNICEF warned, could trigger disease outbreaks among children already weakened by hunger.

Efforts to maintain psychosocial care, mine education, and support for children with disabilities have also been severely curtailed, as per the UN agency. Recreational kits for 1,000 children with disabilities remain undelivered due to the blockade.

More than a million children in the #Gaza Strip deprived of lifesaving aid for over one month.

Aid continues to be blocked from entering, in breach of international humanitarian law and with dire repercussions for children.

Read more: https://t.co/QHCNCvz6wC pic.twitter.com/tAh1Qbk9fq

— UNICEF MENA - يونيسف الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا (@UNICEFmena) April 5, 2025

Neonatal care has reportedly resumed in northern Gaza, with 21 respiratory machines deployed to treat 150 newborns. More than 7,800 young children have received complementary food, and over 33,500 have been screened for acute malnutrition. Over 300 displaced children have been reunited with their families.

Still, humanitarian officials warn that these efforts are not enough without full access to aid corridors.

“For the sake of more than 1 million children in the Gaza Strip, we urge the Israeli authorities to ensure, at a minimum, people’s basic needs are met,” said Beigbeder, urging compliance with international humanitarian law.

UNICEF also called for a renewed ceasefire, the safe evacuation of sick and injured children, and the immediate release of captives. States with influence, the agency said, must use their leverage to bring an end to hostilities and uphold protections for children in conflict.

“Civilians, including children and humanitarian workers, must be protected,” UNICEF said. “This is a legal and moral imperative.”

Read next: States, int'l bodies decry Israeli halt of Gaza aid, demand its flow