UNICEF says 60,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents during war

Approximately 60,000 children in the Gaza Strip have lost one or both parents during the war, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which warned of the lasting psychological and humanitarian consequences for children affected by the conflict.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, UNICEF communications officer and deputy spokesperson Riccardo Pires said around 800,000 children remain displaced, with most living in tents or damaged buildings considered unsafe.

Pires said nearly all displaced children require some form of mental health and psychosocial support to help them cope with the trauma of the war.

He also reported that more than 340 children have been killed and hundreds injured in Gaza since the ceasefire was declared in October 2025.

The UNICEF official warned that overcrowding in displacement areas, inadequate sanitation and deteriorating living conditions continue to expose children and their families to serious health and safety risks, particularly as winter approaches.

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Despite these challenges, Pires said the ceasefire had facilitated increased deliveries of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies, contributing to improvements in food security.

He also noted progress in restoring access to education, reporting that more than 560,000 children have returned to learning, including those attending classes at over 200 UNICEF-supported learning centers.

However, Pires expressed concern about the deterioration of Gaza’s sanitation infrastructure, warning that all six wastewater treatment plants remain out of service.

As a result, he said, much of the territory’s untreated sewage is being discharged directly into the sea, posing additional environmental and public health risks.

UNICEF stressed that continued displacement, damaged infrastructure and the approaching winter threaten to deepen the humanitarian crisis facing Gaza’s children, despite improvements in aid deliveries and educational access.

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