Gaza ceasefire is easing food shortages but children remain at risk

UNICEF and the WFP report that the fragile ceasefire has improved food access and allowed over 10,000 aid trucks into Gaza, while many children still face malnutrition, unsafe shelter and ongoing threats to their lives.

The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has opened humanitarian access and allowed large-scale aid deliveries after months of limited entry. UNICEF and the World Food Programme briefed journalists in New York after visiting Gaza and the occupied West Bank, reporting measurable gains for many families and children amid continuing needs. Agencies say deliveries and services have been restored in parts of the territory, while humanitarian partners work to expand support. Despite these advances, officials emphasize that conditions remain fragile and many children continue to face serious harm. What officials reported: - UNICEF and WFP said more than 10,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the October truce, accounting for about 80% of humanitarian cargo. - Food security has improved and famine conditions were reported as reversed; WFP teams have reached over one million people each month, providing hot meals and school snacks. - UNICEF and partners have provided clean drinking water to roughly 1.6 million people, distributed winter supplies, restored pediatric intensive care services at Al Shifa Hospital, and expanded vaccination and nutrition services. - Officials also reported continued acute needs: more than 100 children have been reported killed since the ceasefire, about 100,000 children remain acutely malnourished, and roughly 1.3 million people need proper shelter. Summary: Humanitarian agencies describe notable improvements in food access, water and health services since the ceasefire, and they report scaled-up distributions reaching many families and children. At the same time, significant gaps remain in nutrition, shelter and safety for children, and the broader trajectory depends on whether aid and access can be sustained. Undetermined at this time.