Israel kills ‘a child a day’ on average in Gaza despite ceasefire, UN says

What Happened

UNICEF reported that Israeli forces have killed at least 265 Palestinian children in Gaza since a ceasefire took effect on 11 October 2025, averaging one child per day for over eight months. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, speaking in Geneva, described the truce as a 'cruel and deadly illusion', citing recent incidents: a 2-year-old boy shot dead, a 13-year-old shot in his tent, and a 5-year-old killed alongside his father by an Israeli strike. The agency said more than 400 children have also been injured, many with catastrophic wounds, and warned that Israeli restrictions on medical supplies were increasing risks of infection and amputation. A separate UNICEF statement noted that 247 children have been killed and 992 injured in Lebanon since hostilities escalated on 2 March 2025. On the same day as the UNICEF briefing, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that an Israeli airstrike on a tent sheltering displaced families in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, injured at least five people. Palestinian health authorities said the overall death toll from Israel's military campaign since 7 October 2023 had reached 73,018, with 1,007 people killed and 3,165 wounded since the ceasefire began.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The continued child casualties under a nominally active ceasefire undermine the truce’s credibility and highlight the gap between diplomatic declarations and on-the-ground protection for civilians. The data feeds into international legal proceedings, where evidence of ongoing harm during a ceasefire could be used to support claims of systematic violations. It also pressures mediators — Qatar, Egypt, and the US — to address enforcement mechanisms. The blockade’s impact on medical evacuations and child trauma adds a humanitarian emergency that risks long-term regional instability and radicalization.

Watch For

Monitor whether the ceasefire framework collapses or if Israel expands ground operations in response to incidents; track medical evacuation approvals and supply deliveries; watch for UN Security Council sessions or UNICEF follow-up reports on child fatalities; observe any statements from mediating states or the ICC regarding compliance with provisional measures; note any escalation on the Israel-Lebanon front where child casualties are also reported.