Israeli siege ‘devastating' on Gaza children: UN refugee agency

Israel's ongoing blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid has a “devastating impact” on children in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned on Wednesday.

"It is over five weeks since the Israeli-imposed siege suspended the entry of aid and commercial supplies into Gaza," UNRWA said in a statement.

“Safe water, food, shelter, and medical care have become increasingly scarce. The impact on children is devastating.”

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza's crossings and blocked the entry of essential supplies, including food, water, and medicine, worsening the already deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave.

“In northern Gaza, children are not looking for their toys or pencils, but for water,” UNRWA said. “They are not going to school, but pushing carts to help fetch something to soothe their thirst.”

On Saturday, the Israeli army halted the flow of water from Israeli company Mekorot to Gaza, effectively cutting off 70% of the enclave's total water supply.

The Israeli army renewed a deadly assault on Gaza on March 18 and has since killed nearly 1,500 victims, injured 3,700 others, and shattered a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in the enclave that was signed in January.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed last week to escalate attacks on Gaza as efforts are underway to implement US President Donald Trump's plan to displace Palestinians from the enclave.

More than 50,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.