UNICEF has reiterated the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, describing it as “critical and long overdue.” According to the organization’s spokesperson, James Elder, around 35 children have been killed daily in Gaza over the past 14 months, resulting in a devastating loss of young lives. Elder highlighted that a peer-reviewed report in The Lancet suggested that casualty numbers from the region exceed those reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry, which had confirmed that more than 15,000 children have died in the conflict.
Elder further stated that, in 2025 alone, approximately 10 children have been killed each day, underscoring the dire situation. “This moment is so absolutely critical and so overdue,” Elder remarked, stressing that the ceasefire deal should have been reached much earlier. He emphasized that immediate action is needed and called for the simultaneous implementation of all phases of the ceasefire plan.
The Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, confirmed on Wednesday that mediation efforts had successfully led to the agreement of a ceasefire deal. The deal, which is set to begin on Sunday, will unfold in multiple phases.
In the first phase, there will be a six-week ceasefire, during which Israeli forces will withdraw from populated areas of Gaza, and a portion of the remaining hostages will be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The second phase involves the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, while the final phase will focus on the return of deceased hostages’ remains and the initiation of Gaza’s major reconstruction efforts.
The ongoing violence, sparked by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, has led to over 46,000 deaths in Gaza, with Israel targeting the region in response to the attacks that killed 1,200 and resulted in approximately 250 hostages being taken.
