“Tragic Toll: 40% of War Casualties in Gaza Are Children”

The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has led to a tragic loss of life particularly among Palestinian children. More than 3,700 Palestinian children have lost their lives in the first 25 days of the war. Many children women, and elderly people have been killed when buildings were targeted by airstrikes and rockets, and some were buried under the rubble. Nearly half of the population in the densely populated Gaza Strip which has 2.3 million citizens, is under the age of 18 and 40 percent of those killed in the war so far are children. Heart-breaking images of fathers clutching their children’s bodies and rescuing injured children during air raids have prompted outrage around the world. This conflict has had devastating consequences for the people of Gaza, especially the youngest and most vulnerable.

In just three weeks, more children have tragically lost their lives in Gaza than in any other conflict in the world over the past three years. To give you an idea, last year, 2,985 children were killed in two different war zones. Imagine being a parent in Gaza during this time; it is an incredibly painful and heart-breaking experience. Ahmed who is devastated by the death of an eight-year-old girl, describes it as a curse because the loss of a child is a terrible and unbearable burden for parents in Gaza. The situation is very sad and difficult for families living there.