Copyright TIME
We call on Israel to permit rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access across all crossings into Gaza, alongside commercial trucking. UNICEF and other humanitarian agencies have truckloads of lifesaving supplies ready to enter Gaza—everything from water purification tablets and nutrition treatment to vaccines and learning materials. With predictable access, fuel, and clearances, we can reach children with the essentials they need to survive and recover. This must include the entry of all materials for education and mental health support which have been denied for almost two years. We also call for the swift clearance of restricted items, including all types of tents; freezers for the safe storage of vaccines; medical equipment; high power generators; pipes for water system rehabilitation; equipment for water treatment plants; construction materials; and equipment to clear mines and unexploded ordnance. Today, UNICEF is reaching 15% of school-aged children with foundational learning—including reading, writing, and mathematics. But the demand far exceeds capacity and there are waiting lists for all temporary learning centers. We must urgently clear the rubble, unexploded ordnance, and expedite repairs on the few classrooms still standing to get more children back in school. This will require more than just Israel opening all border crossings. It demands a fully-fledged back-to-learning campaign. The responsibility to protect and support Palestinian children rests with all of us. Every government, donor, and institution has a role to play by funding the response, supporting recovery, and insisting that aid and education flow freely. A cease-fire that does not facilitate the entry of essential aid—including education supplies—will fail Gaza’s children. Let this be the moment we open every crossing, clear every barrier, and put children—and their right to education and all essential services—first.
