Israel-Hamas: The Tragic Impact of Conflict on Gaza's Children

At least 17,000 children are estimated to be unaccompanied or separated from surviving family members, and at least 4,000 children are likely buried under the rubble. Children have made up about 40 percent of all deaths in Gaza. Following this logic, if at least 10,000 people are buried under the rubble, at least 4,000 children are also likely buried under the rubble, presumed dead.

Additionally, an unknown number of children have been detained by Israeli forces, forcibly transferred out of Gaza, and buried in unmarked graves. There was a period when several mass graves were found, and an unknown number of the bodies in these graves were children. It has been incredibly difficult to verify the identity of children killed in Gaza and those found in mass graves. Their bodies have often been harmed beyond recognition, and many children have lost all next of kin, adding another obstacle to identifying their names and families.

Parents report that some children are so traumatized that they cannot eat even when food is available. Pediatric services in field hospitals in Gaza reveal that some children are so malnourished they lack the energy to cry. The toll this war will have on children in Gaza will span generations, impacting them both physically and mentally