As the world marked Palestinian Children’s Day on Saturday, children in Gaza continued to bear the brunt of Israel’s relentless assault – cut off from food, water, education and basic rights, with humanitarian aid blocked and suffering at unprecedented levels.
While children elsewhere pack their school bags, thousands in Gaza wake to the sound of airstrikes, rubble where their homes once stood, and warnings to flee – if they still have somewhere to go.
Many no longer have parents to comfort them. Rights groups and statistical reports say tens of thousands of children in Gaza have lost one or both parents since Israel began its war on Oct. 7, 2023.
Palestinian authorities report that children and women make up more than 60% of the casualties from the ongoing attacks. Children under 18 account for 43% of Palestine’s population of 5.5 million, with 2.1 million residing in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
The war has impacted children of all ages – from fetuses in their mothers’ wombs to premature infants in incubators and children under the age of 1.
The Statistics Bureau reported that 17,954 children have been killed since the start of the war, including 274 infants. Another 876 children under 1 year old were also killed.
On April 1, UNICEF reported that 322 children were killed and 609 injured since Israel resumed its offensive following the breakdown of a cease-fire on March 18.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that children were forced back into a deadly cycle of violence and urged all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law.
The Israeli army stormed al-Nasr Children’s Hospital in Gaza City and forced medical staff to evacuate on Nov. 10, 2023, killing five babies whose bodies were later found decomposing in incubators after the army withdrew.
Children have also been deprived of shelter, food and water. Israel’s blockade has prevented the entry of essential supplies, resulting in widespread hunger.
According to Palestinian officials, 52 children have died from starvation or malnutrition. Around 3,500 more are at risk of death due to hunger and lack of access to food.
The destruction of more than 88% of Gaza’s infrastructure, including homes, has left families exposed to freezing winter temperatures. At least 17 children have died from cold-related causes while living in makeshift tents.
The right to education has been largely erased. Schools reopened briefly during a temporary cease-fire but were quickly shut again when Israel resumed its attacks.
The war has also left thousands of children permanently disabled. Jordan’s King Abdullah II stated on March 2 that Gaza now has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the situation as a “pandemic of disabilities,” with many children undergoing amputations without anesthesia.
Gaza’s media office reported on March 23 that 4,700 Palestinians have undergone amputations during the war – 18% of them children.
More than 39,000 children have lost at least one parent, and around 17,000 are now without both, according to official data. Many live in torn tents or among the rubble of their destroyed homes, without access to social care or psychological support.
In February, Jonathan Crickx of UNICEF said, “Each child has a heartbreaking story.”
Separated from their parents by death or arrest, many children have been forced to become heads of their families, securing food and basic necessities on their own. Hundreds have turned to child labor as a result.
On March 16, UNICEF warned that Gaza’s children are experiencing extreme fear, anxiety and trauma.
U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher stated on Jan. 24 that “one million children are in need of mental health and psychosocial support for depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.”
“Children have been killed, starved and frozen to death. A generation has been traumatized,” he told the U.N. Security Council.
