On 5 April, which marks Palestinian Children’s National Day, Israel continues its genocide against the residents of the Gaza Strip, depriving children of their most basic rights. As the war enters its 18th month, children’s lives have turned into a nightmare of killing, destruction, displacement, and starvation.
While children around the world begin their school day carrying backpacks to classrooms, Gaza’s children wake up to the sounds of explosions and sirens; a daily scene since 7 October 2023. As Israeli aggression intensifies, tens of thousands of children pack their belongings not for school, but in preparation for yet another forced displacement driven by Israeli warnings.
Human rights reports indicate that children constitute a significant number of the victims, with official data confirming that women and children make up over 60% of the total death toll. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 43% of Palestine’s 5.5 million population are children under the age of 18, including 2.1 million in the Gaza Strip alone.
The Systematic Killing of Children in Gaza
Israel’s genocide has targeted children across all age groups from foetuses in their mothers’ wombs to teenagers under the age of eighteen. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the occupation has killed approximately 17,954 children since the war began.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported in early April that 322 children have been killed and 609 injured since Israel resumed military operations after breaching the ceasefire agreement on 18 March.
On 10 November 2023, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital in Gaza, forcing medical staff to evacuate and refusing to transfer premature babies, resulting in the death of five infants due to lack of medical care. Following the withdrawal of Israeli forces, their decomposed bodies were found in incubators, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Official statistics show that 274 newborns were killed, having been born and died under Israeli bombardment. Around 876 babies under the age of one have been killed during the war.
Genocide Through Deprivation of Basic Rights
In addition to direct killings, the Israeli occupation has used starvation and deprivation of basic rights as means of mass killing. The occupation has deliberately blocked the delivery of food and humanitarian aid, resulting in the deaths of 52 children from hunger and malnutrition.
The Gaza Government Media Office stated that 3,500 children are at risk of dying from starvation due to acute food shortages.
The occupation also destroyed Gaza’s infrastructure, with 88% of homes reported destroyed, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
With tents and caravans blocked from entering, 17 children died from the bitter cold during the winter.
Physical and Psychological Maiming of Gaza’s Children
As attacks intensified, Gaza has become a place filled with children who have lost limbs.
In December 2024, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that Gaza is witnessing a “disability pandemic,” with many children losing limbs due to bombings, and some undergoing amputations without anaesthesia due to the lack of medical resources.
Official figures show that 4,700 Palestinians have undergone amputations as a result of the war; 18% of them are children.
Children Without Families… An Entire Generation Facing An Unknown Fate
Israel’s war on Gaza has not only left children homeless, but has also orphaned tens of thousands of them.
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 39,384 children have lost one or both parents during the genocide, while 17,000 of them have become completely orphaned.
These children now live in harsh conditions without access to social care and psychological support, pushing some into child labour to earn a living.
In this context, UNICEF’s Communications Director in the Palestinian territories, Jonathan Crickx, stated that “each of these children has a heartbreaking story,” noting that children separated from their families are facing deep psychological trauma and an uncertain future.
The Devastating Psychological Impact on Gaza’s Children
The war has had severe psychological consequences for children. On 16 March, UNICEF warned that Palestinian children are living in extreme fear and anxiety due to food insecurity and ongoing violations of their basic rights.
Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stated on 24 January that one million Palestinian children in Gaza are in urgent need of psychological and social support due to widespread depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts caused by the genocide.
He noted that children in Gaza are left without access to healthcare or education, and that an entire generation is suffering from trauma that could last a lifetime.
Ongoing Genocidal Crimes with Unwavering US Support
Since 7 October 2023, with unconditional American support, Israel has continued its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, leaving more than 165,000 people killed or wounded, most of whom are women and children, in addition to 11,000 missing persons believed to be buried under the rubble or held in undisclosed locations.
Despite international calls to end these crimes, the Israeli occupation continues to violate all international laws protecting children’s rights, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees protection from violence and the right to life, health, and education.
In light of these circumstances, Gaza’s children are no longer merely victims of a brutal war, but they are also witnesses to one of the most heinous crimes against humanity in the 21st century.
