Officials from key United Nations (UN) agencies have expressed their anger over the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza, calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire."

The heads of 18 UN agencies, including UNICEF, the World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), issued a joint statement saying, "For nearly a month, the world has been watching in shock and horror the rising toll of death and destruction."

They expressed regret over the number of casualties in the war that began on Oct. 7.

Nearly 10,000 Palestinians, half of them children, have been killed in the Israeli Occupation aggression on Gaza since Oct. 7.

The joint statement added that in Gaza, "the entire population is subjected to siege and attack, denied access to the essentials of life, and subjected to the terrifying death toll of bombing in their homes, shelters, hospitals, and places of worship. This is unacceptable."