Children in Gaza are in constant danger. They are vulnerable to shelling and explosions at any moment. The daily lives of children in Gaza are ongoing conflicts, deep psychological suffering and the difficult challenges surrounding them as a result of the ongoing war.
How do children live in Gaza?
Children inside the Strip live in tragic conditions as a result of the siege and ongoing attacks, in addition to the ongoing war that escalated in 2023, as a result of which they lost their safety because of the bombing and destruction they witnessed, and a large number of them lost family members, which led to severe psychological trauma. The total number of martyrs in the Gaza Strip is more than 51,000, including 18,000 children, in addition to the fact that the majority of children face physical disabilities, diseases and serious wounds caused by the war, especially in light of the acute shortage of medicines and medical supplies in hospitals that barely work. A growing number of them are suffering from malnutrition, especially after the interruption of food supplies.
Here are some of the stories of children in Gaza during the war:
– "Twins came to life together, sharing the pulse and innocence, never separated... Even in death they left together, martyred in the Holocaust massacre committed by the Zionist occupation in Gaza, to remain the pain of their loss as a witness to a crime that history does not forgive and does not silence conscience."
"At the age of three, Ahmed Shabbat became without parents, as their house in Beit Hanoun was bombed by Israel in which his father, mother and older brother were killed, but he survived with his younger brother, Omar, only two years old."
– "Dunia, who was only twelve years old, survived with her brother Yusuf and younger sister Dania after Israeli shelling while they were sleeping in their home in the al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. But she lost her parents, her brother, her sister, and her right leg."
What challenges do children in Gaza face?
1. Insecurity
In light of the war and the continuous shelling of Gaza, safety has become difficult to obtain, leading to the constant fear of losing their families, homes and friends.
Read more about supporting orphans in Gaza:
2. Interruption of education
The war destroyed educational schools, resulting in the interruption of education for nearly two years since the war began.
3. Malnutrition
Many people in Gaza suffer from severe malnutrition, especially the young, due to lack of food and the Israeli occupation prevented the entry of aid since the resumption of the war on the Strip, in addition to the lack of clean water increases health risks.
4. Poor health system
Many hospitals in Gaza have become out of the reach of the cheek, and what remains is barely functioning, due to the targeting of hospitals and medical staff, which resulted in the collapse of the health system, in addition to the acute shortage of medicines and medical supplies in light of the continuous rise in the number of wounded and injured, most of them children.
How can we improve the lives of children in Gaza?
1. Improving health care and nutrition
With the worsening situation in Gaza, the collapse of the health system and the severe lack of food access, improving health care and nutrition requires efforts that include distributing nutritious meals in schools and shelters, providing children with nutritional supplements such as iron and vitamin A to prevent malnutrition and immune deficiency, distributing water filters and disinfecting water to ensure access to safe drinking water and use, and facilitating access to medicines and medical equipment for children (especially infant formula, vaccines, antibiotics).
2. Psychological support for children
Children in Gaza are in a state of shock as a result of shelling, loss of family, and injury, and show symptoms such as nightmares, involuntary urination, persistent bouts of fear, and lack of psychological care may lead to
3. Play and leisure for children in Gaza
Children in Gaza are under severe psychological pressure as a result of the security situation under war and siege, and in an environment where much of the elements of childhood are taken away, play restores children to a part of their innocence and normal life.
How important is education for children in conflict zones like Gaza?
Education gives children a sense of stability and instills hope for a better tomorrow. It also helps to overcome trauma through expressive activities and psychological support that are sometimes found in or around schools. While education has been interrupted in Gaza for at least a year and a half, education has become a dream for children and adults.
In light of this disaster, we must support and develop the educational system in Gaza amid the ongoing crises, through the support of distance education and technology is one of the most important means of modern education, especially in light of the challenges faced by the sector in terms of wars and siege. Developing these systems improves the quality of education and expands access to knowledge. In addition to supporting school infrastructure, the improvement and upgrading of school buildings includes the provision of modern educational tools and the maintenance of facilities such as laboratories and libraries. It also requires equipping schools with advanced technology such as computers and the Internet.
