One year on from October 7, the only way to end children’s unimaginable suffering is a ceasefire, now

Today marks a year since the October 7 attack on Israel and a year of retaliatory military strikes on Gaza and the West Bank. As a humanitarian organisation which advocates for children’s rights around the world, we are heartbroken by the horrific violence that has engulfed Gaza, Israel, the West Bank and Lebanon since October 2023.

Every day that passes without a permanent ceasefire means more children will be killed. Those who survive are constantly being exposed to highly traumatic events which will leave mental and physical scars for years to come. All children have the right to grow up without fear of violence yet all too often, in conflict and war, children pay the highest price.

For the sake of children everywhere, it is more urgent than ever before that all States with influence over the parties to this conflict take concrete action to ensure an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Together with our peers, we call for the remaining civilian hostages in Gaza, all Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons and all Palestinians who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained to be released immediately and unconditionally. No child should ever be abducted.

We implore all parties to respect International Humanitarian Law (IHL). States must, in accordance with international law, halt the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to parties to the conflict as these are at risk of being used to commit violations of IHL. The unacceptable obstruction of humanitarian access and the targeting of humanitarian aid and workers in Gaza by the Israeli military must end immediately.

As humanitarians, we at Plan International are working to scale up life-saving assistance to children and civilians in Gaza and the wider region and to support the work of partners who are doing so. But the only way to truly start to alleviate the unimaginable suffering children are enduring every day is an immediate ceasefire, now.