Rubio Blocks UNRWA Role; UNICEF Warns of Child Crisis

UNICEF says the recent ceasefire in Gaza must hold and go beyond calm to deliver urgent action for children after “wholesale devastation,” reporting more than 64,000 children killed or injured, over 58,000 children having lost a parent and one million children exposed to life‑threatening conditions. UNICEF is racing to expand nutrition treatment, truck safe water, provide shelter and begin repairing essential services. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit to Israel, said UNRWA will not play any role in aid delivery under the U.S. (Trump) ceasefire plan—calling the agency a “subsidiary of Hamas”—and described a multi‑group task force as the alternative, with Israel able to vet participants; he said he did not foresee a permanent division of Gaza. The U.N. and UNRWA strongly rejected Rubio’s accusations, calling UNRWA the backbone of humanitarian operations and citing the International Court of Justice’s advisory that Israel must allow UNRWA and impartial groups to facilitate relief. Israel has previously banned UNRWA from operating and prevented many of its supplies from entering amid accusations against some staff, and aid deliveries remain impeded by ongoing Israeli operations and the sealed Rafah crossing despite the ceasefire. Humanitarian agencies warn that rapid, sustained access and rebuilding of health, water, sanitation and energy systems are essential to avert famine, disease and lasting harm to a generation of children in Gaza.