UNICEF reiterates call for cease-fire as number of children killed in Gaza surpasses 14,000

The number of children who have been killed in Gaza has surpassed the grim mark of 14,000 since Oct. 7, 2023, the UNICEF said on Friday, reiterating its call for a cease-fire.

"Reports are now that more than 14,000 girls and boys have been killed in Gaza," spokesperson James Elder said on X.

"Perhaps we should say that slowly. Fourteen thousand," he said, adding: "Perhaps we should do something. And surely that 'something' is not a military offensive in Rafah."

He urged: "Ceasefire. Now."

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, in which nearly 1,200 people were killed.

Nearly 34,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 76,800 others have been injured besides causing mass destruction, displacement and conditions of famine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has asked Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.