On October 7, Hamas carried out a brutal attack on areas around the border with Gaza, indiscriminately murdering people, including children and young people. One captured militant gave a chilling account of shooting into a room where they heard children crying until everything went silent. According to Israeli media reports, Hamas is currently holding 38 children and teenagers as hostages, with the youngest being just nine months old. The attack also left 21 children orphaned, with some losing both parents and others having one parent killed or kidnapped.
The impact on children living in southern Israel is also devastating. Parents report that their children have become more aggressive and fearful since the war began. Some children are even afraid to sleep in their beds and can only fall asleep under their beds. The constant threat of rockets and the lack of safe areas to protect themselves from attacks have taken a toll on their mental and emotional well-being.
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In Gaza, the situation is even worse. Tens of thousands of Palestinian parents are dealing with the same horrors, with over 4,600 children reported killed and nearly 9,000 injured. Gaza has a young population, with almost half of its residents under the age of 18. Many children have been displaced by the war, with at least 700,000 forced to leave their homes. Gaza has been under a strict blockade since 2007, and this is the fifth time children have had to endure a war, making it the worst one yet.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described Gaza as a “graveyard for children,” with hundreds being killed or injured every day. UNICEF’s executive director Catherine Russell condemned the grave violations against children, including attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access. Aid is limited, as Israel has closed its border crossings, and only a few trucks with international aid are able to enter through the Rafah crossing from Egypt.
Children in Gaza and southern Israel are losing their childhoods and living in constant fear. They are deprived of basic necessities like food, water, and education, and their mental and emotional well-being is severely affected. The international community must take immediate action to protect these innocent children and put an end to this devastating conflict.
