At Least 322 Children Killed Since Resumption of Gaza Offensive, Says Unicef
The UN children’s agency reports that over 322 children have died and more than 600 have been injured since Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza on 18 March.
More than 322 children have reportedly been killed and at least 609 others wounded since Israel launched a renewed offensive in Gaza on 18 March, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
“The ceasefire in Gaza provided a desperately needed lifeline for Gaza’s children and hope for a path to recovery,” said Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell. “But children have again been plunged into a cycle of deadly violence and deprivation.”
The latest offensive began after Israel accused Hamas of rejecting a new ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States, which included the release of the 59 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza. Hamas, however, claimed Israel had violated the ceasefire terms initially agreed upon in January.
Unicef stated that the return to “relentless and indiscriminate bombardments” has resulted in approximately 100 children being killed or injured daily between 21 and 31 March. Many of the child casualties occurred among those who were already displaced and living in temporary shelters or damaged buildings.
While the casualty data comes from the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza—a source Israel disputes—these figures are widely regarded as credible by the UN and other international organizations. Independent verification remains impossible, as Israel has barred international media, including the BBC, from accessing Gaza.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told the BBC that it remains committed to minimizing harm to civilians during military operations and adheres to international laws of armed conflict. The IDF added that it makes “great efforts to estimate and consider potential civilian collateral damage in its strikes.”
Since the start of the conflict over 18 months ago, Unicef estimates that more than 15,000 children have been killed, over 34,000 injured, and nearly one million have been displaced multiple times.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened sharply, with Israel blocking aid deliveries into the territory since 2 March—the longest such blockade since the war began. Unicef warns that without urgent delivery of food, medicine, and clean water, malnutrition and preventable diseases could cause a significant increase in child deaths.
On 24 March, the UN announced it would scale back operations in Gaza following the deaths of eight Palestinian medics, six Civil Defence responders, and one UN staff member during an Israeli strike in southern Gaza.
Israel began its military campaign against Hamas—a group designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, the UK, and others—following a large-scale attack on 7 October 2023. That attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in Israel and the abduction of 251 hostages.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 50,399 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
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