War leaves almost 40,000 Gaza children without parents

2026-03-16 - 10:54

GAZA – Tens of thousands of Palestinian children have been left without one or both parents since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). In a statement issued ahead of Palestinian Children’s Day, the bureau said 39,384 children in Gaza have lost either one or both parents during more than 17 months of conflict that has devastated the coastal enclave and displaced the majority of its 2.3 million residents. The PCBS reported that around 17,000 children have lost both parents since October 2023, when Israel launched its large-scale military offensive in the territory. The agency said many of these children are living in extremely harsh conditions, often sheltering in damaged houses or temporary tents, with limited access to social support services and psychological care. It described the situation as one of the largest orphan crises in modern history. According to the bureau, at least 17,954 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the conflict began. The casualties include 274 newborn babies and 876 infants under the age of one. In addition, 17 children reportedly died from extreme cold while staying in displacement tents, while 52 others died due to hunger and severe malnutrition. The statistics agency also warned that about 60,000 children remain at risk of death as a result of worsening malnutrition and the growing threat of famine. Aid access has remained severely restricted after Israel closed key border crossings following the collapse of a temporary ceasefire that had briefly eased conditions earlier this year. The closure has blocked the entry of critical humanitarian supplies such as flour, fuel and medical aid into Gaza. The territory’s Government Media Office has accused Israel of pursuing a policy of “systematic starvation”, saying aid and flour deliveries have been halted for weeks, forcing several bakeries to stop operations. Children under the age of 18 account for around 43 percent of the total Palestinian population of about 5.5 million across Gaza and the occupied West Bank, the PCBS noted. Since Israel resumed large-scale military operations in Gaza on March 18, more than 1,160 Palestinians have been killed, according to available figures. Overall, over 50,500 Palestinians — most of them women and children — have died since October 2023, based on data released by Gaza’s health authorities. The report also said Israeli forces have detained more than 1,055 Palestinian children since October 7, mostly in the West Bank, with over 350 minors still being held in Israeli detention facilities.