Human rights expert Huriye Yıldız Kantaroğlu said that children’s basic rights in Gaza, particularly their right to life, are being violated under severe conditions. Kantaroğlu argued that the ceasefire had not ended the humanitarian crisis and that the war’s effects on the future of society were continuing.
Humanitarian aid and essential services
Kantaroğlu said that nearly the entire population of Gaza, displaced multiple times, was facing serious difficulties accessing food, shelter and health care. She identified growing aid needs and restricted access to assistance because of the blockade as among the main factors deepening the humanitarian crisis.
The ceasefire agreement dated October 10, 2025, included provisions for the passage of 600 aid trucks a day, the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, including in the northern region, the restoration of water and electricity services, and the beginning of repairs to infrastructure and hospitals. Kantaroğlu said these provisions had not been implemented and stressed that humanitarian aid in Gaza was a vital need requiring continuity rather than a temporary response.
Kantaroğlu said economic activity in Gaza had collapsed and that external aid was needed to meet basic needs, identifying access to food and clean water as the most critical issues. She noted that malnutrition was causing serious health problems and deaths, particularly among infants and children.
Shelter and health crisis
The complete destruction or severe damage to buildings has caused a widespread shelter crisis in Gaza. Kantaroğlu said tent camps established as a temporary solution had become permanent living spaces and that heat, cold, rain and flooding posed serious risks to those living there.
Kantaroğlu said more durable temporary solutions, such as container units and prefabricated structures, could not be established because the entry of construction materials was restricted. She added that the collapse of electricity, piped water and sewage systems had worsened hygiene and health problems.
Kantaroğlu said hospitals providing health services had become unusable and argued that, in addition to shortages of medical supplies, allegations that health workers had been arrested or killed were placing further strain on the health system. She said restrictions on leaving Gaza for medical treatment were causing treatable health conditions to worsen and could lead to the loss of organs or limbs.
Children’s future
Kantaroğlu said children in Gaza were facing hunger, malnutrition, cold, inadequate shelter, severe injuries and a lack of medical care. She said these conditions posed risks of infectious disease outbreaks and deaths, and recalled that under international law, children are among the groups that must receive priority protection during extraordinary situations such as war and disasters.
Kantaroğlu said Palestinian children were struggling with permanent disabilities, chronic illnesses and psychological problems, and noted that they had been deprived of basic childhood rights, including the right to play. She said kites had become a symbol of freedom and the joy of living for children in Gaza, but that the sky where children should be flying kites was instead associated with warplanes, bombs and missiles.
Kantaroğlu argued that the mass killing and maiming of children and their deprivation of education were affecting the future of society. She said this could also prevent future generations of doctors, engineers and teachers from being trained.
The international community’s responsibility
Kantaroğlu argued that Israel’s failure to implement decisions by international institutions, combined with those institutions’ failure to activate their sanctions mechanisms, was allowing human rights violations to continue. She said the veto power held by permanent members of the United Nations Security Council was one of the main obstacles to adopting sanctions decisions.
Kantaroğlu said ethical and diplomatic mechanisms needed to be activated to secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid and begin reconstruction. She added that supporting the people of Gaza was a shared responsibility of humanity.
