Gaza: The Israeli regime has killed more than 21,500 children in Gaza since October 8, 2023, according to figures released by the Government Media Office in Gaza, as the enclave marks 1,000 days of Israel's genocide.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the death toll includes more than 520 infants born during the war and 1,022 children under the age of one, as reported by the office, which released the figures in a statement marking 1,000 days since the start of the war in Gaza. Children in Gaza continue to face death, injury, hunger, displacement, and the collapse of essential services, including healthcare, education, and child protection, amid the prolonged Israeli offensive.
Meanwhile, on June 19, 2026, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) stated that the ceasefire announced in October 2025 had become a 'cruel and deadly illusion' for Gaza's children, citing continued killings, injuries, and severe restrictions on the delivery of food and medical supplies. According to UNICEF, at least 265 Palestinian children have been killed and more than 400 injured since the ceasefire took effect, with many suffering life-changing wounds. The agency warned that the continued killing and injury of children during the truce risk becoming normalized.
Figures released by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicate that children accounted for around 30 percent of those killed and 26 percent of the wounded by the end of 2025. The bureau reported that more than 10,500 children have suffered serious injuries, while over 1,000 have undergone amputations. It added that nearly 4,000 children remain at immediate risk of death unless they are evacuated from Gaza to receive specialized medical treatment.
Malnutrition has also taken a toll. According to Gaza health authorities, 157 children have died from hunger and malnutrition since the start of the war, while another 25 died from hypothermia in displacement camps. Citing data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Palestinian statistics bureau reported that more than 3,700 children aged between six and 59 months were admitted to malnutrition treatment programs in February 2026, including more than 600 cases of severe acute malnutrition requiring urgent medical intervention.
The bureau added that 64 percent of children consume no more than two food groups a day, while more than 90 percent fail to receive the minimum dietary diversity needed for healthy development. More than 60 percent of Gaza's children are reportedly suffering from acute malnutrition, threatening their physical and cognitive growth.