The United Nations' children's agency UNICEF said Friday it was able to send notebooks, crayons and other recreational materials into Gaza for the first time in more than two years, offering rare support for children devastated by Israel's genocidal attacks and blockade.
Since the start of the war that started in October 2023, humanitarian organizations have repeatedly denounced major difficulties bringing equipment and supplies into the Palestinian territory due to Israeli restrictions.
Israel rejects those accusations, saying it oversees the entry of goods into Gaza to ensure its security, but has prevented the entry of vital humanitarian supplies, including medicine and more.
UNICEF's announcement comes after the United States announced in mid-January the launch of phase two of President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan, against the backdrop of a fragile cease-fire 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.
COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body overseeing civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, told AFP it was not in a position to comment immediately.
Phase two of Trump's peace plan aims at paving the way for Gaza's reconstruction, including the gradual restoration of public services, but does not include specifics about the school system, which has been largely paralyzed for more than two years.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, U.S. officials presented their vision for a "New Gaza" that would turn the shattered Palestinian territory into a glitzy resort of skyscrapers by the sea, saying the transformation could emerge in three years.
The issue of education was not mentioned among priorities for "the next 100 days."
UNICEF official Ted Chaiban, who visited Gaza this week, called for the authorisation to bring all other educational and early childhood development supplies into the territory.
Quoted in the UNICEF statement, he said these would provide children "with the most basic materials they need to be able to learn".
Humanitarian officials have told AFP they have not obtained authorisation from Israel to bring in school supplies.
AFP correspondents in the Gaza Strip say they have seen school supplies sold on the private market at exorbitant prices.
