UNICEF: 300 children killed in Gaza in 300 days; daily toll averages one child

Gaza — UNICEF said Thursday that at least 300 children have been killed in Gaza over the past 300 days, an average of about one child per day, as civilians continue to face intense military attacks including shelling, gunfire and naval bombardment.
The agency added that hundreds more children have been reportedly injured during the same period. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said children in Gaza are living in dire conditions, with overcrowded shelters and limited access to clean water and healthcare. OCHA warned that attacks by Israeli settlers and Israeli military operations in the West Bank are also undermining Palestinian homes and livelihoods.
OCHA documented more than 1,380 attacks by settlers across 250 Palestinian communities between the start of the year and the end of July, resulting in casualties and property damage — an average of six to seven incidents per day. The agency said those attacks and related access restrictions displaced more than 2,300 Palestinians. In one reported incident, settlers allegedly set fire to homes in the Al-Tuba community near Masafer Yatta in the Hebron area, leaving three families, including 14 children, homeless and causing injuries and property loss.
OCHA said Israeli forces launched a major operation in Qalandiya camp, near Jerusalem governorate, where thousands of Palestinians remained besieged for a second consecutive day. Humanitarian workers continued to face barriers to safe access, raising concerns about residents’ protection, access to emergency care and ability to reach workplaces.
Both OCHA and UNICEF reiterated calls for protection of civilians in the occupied territories and accountability for perpetrators who target Palestinians. International agencies say restrictions on humanitarian access and ongoing violence are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.