The UN children’s agency (UNICEF) tells AFP that it was able to bring recreational supplies, including notebooks, crayons and art materials, into the war-scarred Gaza Strip for the first time in more than two years.
Since the start of the war sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, humanitarian organisations have repeatedly denounced major difficulties bringing equipment and supplies into the Palestinian territory, blaming Israeli restrictions.
Israel rejects those accusations, saying it oversees the entry of goods into Gaza to ensure its security.
UNICEF’s announcement comes after the United States announced earlier this month the launch of phase two of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire in effect since October 2025.
“Since Thursday 15 January, 5,168 recreational kits have entered the Strip, supporting more than 375,000 children — including 1,000 children with disabilities,” UNICEF said in a statement yesterday.
COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, tells AFP it was not in a position to comment immediately.
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