UNICEF has issued a dire warning about the accelerating humanitarian collapse in Gaza, describing it as the most dangerous place in the world for children. The organization’s regional spokesperson, Saleem Oweis, told Al Mayadeen that the ongoing siege and military assault by Israeli forces have pushed the civilian population, particularly children, to the edge of survival.

"The Gaza Strip has become the most dangerous place in the world for children," Oweis declared, as he described a crisis marked by widespread malnutrition, collapsing medical infrastructure, and an escalating famine.

Oweis noted that the entire population is at risk. "There is a real risk of the malnutrition and hunger crisis expanding to affect all residents of Gaza, given the catastrophic conditions they’ve endured since the beginning of the aggression," he said. According to Oweis, 5,100 children required emergency treatment for hunger in May alone, while "470,000 people in the Strip are suffering from acute malnutrition, and the entire population faces the risk of famine." He called the situation "deeply alarming."

UNICEF's efforts to respond are severely hindered by the ongoing Israeli blockade, which prevents the free movement of humanitarian personnel and aid. "The current conditions do not allow freedom of movement," Oweis explained. The result is a dramatic shortage of life-saving resources, including vital nutritional supplies. "Preventive nutritional supplies have run out in the Strip, which further worsens the health crisis," he added.

"واقع الطفولة في #غزة مأساوي جداً والقطاع هو أخطر مكان للأطفال بالعالم"

المتحدث الإقليمي باسم منظمة اليونيسيف سليم عويس في #المشهدية #الميادين pic.twitter.com/buoAAWFayB

, قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) July 20, 2025

Starvation siege

Earlier in the day, UNRWA accused "Israel" of systematically starving civilians in Gaza, including one million children, and called for the immediate lifting of the blockade. Four children reportedly died from hunger-related causes in the span of 24 hours, including an infant, Razan Abu Zaher, whose death was attributed to severe malnutrition and the lack of milk.

Hospitals across the enclave are overwhelmed, with emergency departments flooded by starving civilians. The Gaza Ministry of Health warned Saturday that many Palestinians are now beyond the limits of physical endurance, arriving in hospitals with emaciated bodies and extreme fatigue. According to health officials, if aid is not allowed in immediately, a surge in deaths is inevitable.

UNICEF’s urgent appeal, echoed by other UN agencies, reinforces growing international calls for an end to the blockade and unrestricted humanitarian access. Yet, as global powers remain passive, Gaza’s children continue to suffer under a man-made famine and an occupation that, according to Oweis, has rendered survival itself a daily battle.

Read more: One in ten Gaza children now malnourished under siege: UNICEF