UNICEF Says Israel Killed 265 Palestinian Children in Gaza Since October Ceasefire

UNICEF said at least 265 Palestinian children have been killed in Gaza since a ceasefire was announced in October 2025, calling the truce a “deadly illusion” as violence continues despite the declared halt in hostilities.

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UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told reporters in Geneva on Friday that “a child has been killed, on average, every single day for more than eight months,” and he questioned whether it could still be considered a ceasefire while children continue to die.

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Elder said children were killed in homes, schools and public spaces, including while playing football or fishing, and he cited cases including “a two-year-old boy was shot and killed by Israeli forces” and “a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed inside his tent.”

UNICEF also warned that more than 400 children have been wounded since October, with Elder saying “More than 400 children have been injured, many with catastrophic wounds,” and he linked the risk to restrictions on essential medicines and the need for medical evacuation.

The Intercept framed the ceasefire as “performative,” saying that since the October 2025 “ceasefire,” Israeli military attacks have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

Tariq Kenney-Shawa, an associate fellow at Palestinian think tank Al-Shabaka, told The Intercept Briefing that the ceasefire was “empty,” describing “an agreement on paper, there is a framework, and a phased approach to this.”

Al Jazeera

In a separate dispute over American positions, Al Jazeera Net reported that Tucker Carlson accused U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee of “supporting the killing of civilians and children in Gaza,” and said Huckabee tried to distance himself by steering the argument toward Hamas.

Al Jazeera Net also reported that Huckabee relied on the Israeli narrative that deaths were caused by Palestinians being used as “human shields,” while noting that “Israel has not provided conclusive evidence despite its continued repetition since the outbreak of the war.”

UN News reported that another child died of hypothermia in the Gaza Strip, saying a three-month-old girl was found dead from the cold Tuesday morning at her home in Gaza.

Farhan Haq, the UN Deputy Secretary-General's spokesperson, told reporters in New York that “this death brings the total number of cold-related deaths this season to nine,” and OCHA called for urgent solutions including authorizing the entry of batteries and solar panels for community heating spaces.

UN News said humanitarian workers continued to support Gaza’s population more than three months after the ceasefire, with Haq adding that “more than 860,000 people have received food parcels distributed through 50 distribution points.”

The UN also reported that WHO facilitated another medical evacuation on Monday transporting 21 patients and their escorts to Jordan, while “more than 18,000 patients, including 4,000 children, are still waiting to be evacuated” for medical care unavailable in Gaza.