Amman, Jordan – At least 300 children have been reportedly killed in Gaza in the 300 days since a ceasefire was announced in October 2025, according to the Unicef. 

This amounts to an average of one child every day, despite an agreement for the suspension of military operations and the full entry of humanitarian aid and relief almost ten months ago.

“A ceasefire that leaves an average of one child dead each and every day is failing children,” said Edouard Beigbeder, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Unicef. “With hundreds more children injured, many severely, children in Gaza are still waiting for the end to the violence they were promised.”

Families are now crowded into roughly a third of the Gaza Strip, sheltering in unsafe conditions among destroyed buildings, rubble and accumulated solid waste. Across the strip, children continue to face acute malnutrition, disease, unsafe water and damaged sanitation systems.

“Announcements made in recent days set out a roadmap for the next phase of the ceasefire, including steps towards ending hostilities and scaling up humanitarian relief. This offers new hope and a chance to finally stop children being killed,” said Beigbeder. “For children in Gaza, the test is simple. Does the killing stop? Does aid reach them at scale? Do hospitals reopen and water flow? Will children return to school safely in September? Children have heard promises before. This time, agreements must translate into action.”

Unicef has called on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. They must protect children, safeguard their access to essential goods and services, including healthcare, education, safe water and food, and allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to children in need.

Ceasefire on paper

Separately, Ajith Sunghay, head of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in occupied Palestinian territory, said that a ceasefire exists on paper in Gaza but not in reality.

“While a ceasefire was declared, there have been numerous violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law throughout this period since October 2023,” Sunghay told Al Jazeera.

He said the UN high commissioner for human rights has raised the issue repeatedly. “This is not the kind of ceasefire we want to see.”