Press release
Acute food insecurity and malnutrition rise for sixth consecutive year in world’s most fragile regions
GENEVA/NEW YORK/ROME/WASHINGTON D.C. 16 May 2025 –, Acute food insecurity and child malnutrition rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2024, pushing millions of people to the brink, in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions, according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) , released today. The report...
Press release
Risk of famine for children across Gaza, new report says
ROME/NEW YORK, 12 May 2025 –, Populations across the Gaza Strip are at risk of famine as fighting has surged again, border crossings are still closed, and food is dangerously scarce., Hunger and malnutrition have intensified sharply since all aid was blocked from entering on 2 March, , reversing the clear humanita...
Statement
Statement from UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on the situation for children in the Gaza Strip after two months of aid blockade
NEW YORK, 2 May 2025, - “For two months, children in the Gaza Strip have faced relentless bombardments while being deprived of essential goods, services and lifesaving care. With each passing day of the aid blockade, they face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death – nothing can justify this. “Families...
Press release
At least 322 children reportedly killed in the Gaza Strip following breakdown of ceasefire
NEW YORK/AMMAN, 31 March 2025, – The breakdown of the ceasefire and resumption of intense bombardments and ground operations in the Gaza Strip has reportedly left, at least 322 children dead and 609 injured – constituting a daily average of around 100 children killed or maimed over the past 10 days, . Most of thes...
Statement
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on the attacks in Gaza
NEW YORK, 18 March 2025, – “Reports and images emerging from the Gaza Strip following today’s attacks are beyond horrifying. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed, including more than 130 children, representing one of the largest single-day child death toll in the last year. “Some of the strikes reported...
Statement
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on the announcement of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
NEW YORK, 15 January 2025 –, “UNICEF welcomes the announcement today of a ceasefire deal between the parties to the conflict in the Gaza Strip. This is long overdue for the children and families of Gaza who have endured more than a year of bombardment and deprivation, and for the hostages in Gaza and their familie...
Press release
‘Not the new normal’ – 2024 ‘one of the worst years in UNICEF’s history’ for children in conflict
NEW YORK, 28 December 2024 –, The impact of armed conflicts on children around the world reached devastating and likely record levels in 2024, according to a review by UNICEF of the latest available data and prevailing global trends., More children than ever are estimated to be either living in conflict zones or f...
Press release
‘Tragedy upon tragedy’ in Lebanon as death and displacement mount
BEIRUT, 25 September 2024 –, The average number of children killed per day in Lebanon this week is more than double the number of children killed per day during the country’s devastating 2006 conflict. An estimated 400 children, or about 12 children per day, were killed during the 33-day 2006 conflict [1] . Now, 5...
Statement
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on deadly strikes in Ukraine
NEW YORK, 8 July 2024 –, “I am horrified by the news out of Ukraine today that at least 150 people have reportedly been killed or injured, and a children’s hospital severely damaged in Kyiv, during a wave of deadly missile strikes across the country. “The barrage of missiles fell in cities including Kyiv, Dnipro,...
Press release
One child displaced every minute in Haiti as armed violence persists – UNICEF
PORT-AU-PRINCE/NEW YORK, 2 JULY 2024, – The number of internally displaced children in Haiti has increased by an estimated 60 per cent since March – the equivalent of one child every minute – a result of ongoing violence caused by armed groups. According to latest estimates,, almost 600,000 people – over half of w...
Press release
There is ‘nowhere safe to go’ for the 600,000 children of Rafah, warns UNICEF
NEW YORK, 06 MAY 2024, – With the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip continuing to deteriorate, UNICEF is warning that a military besiegement and ground incursion in Rafah would pose catastrophic risks to the 600,000 children currently taking shelter in the enclave. Following October evacuation orders...
Press release
Acute malnutrition has doubled in one month in the north of Gaza strip: UNICEF
NEW YORK, 15 MARCH 2024, –31 per cent - or 1 in 3 children under 2 years of age – in the Northern Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition, a staggering escalation from 15.6 per cent in January., Malnutrition among children is spreading fast and reaching devastating and unprecedented levels in the Gaza Strip, due to the wide-reaching impacts of the war and ongoing restrictions on aid delivery., At least 23 children in Northern Gaza Strip have r...