GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development demanded urgent international measures to protect the children of Palestine, coinciding with Palestinian Child’s Day on 5 April 2026, in light of what it described as an unprecedented catastrophic reality experienced by the children of the Gaza Strip as a result of the continuation of the Israeli aggression and the gross violations of their rights.
The Ministry said in a statement Sunday, “The children in the Gaza Strip were at the forefront of the victims of the ongoing war since seven October 2023, as the number of martyrs exceeded 73,500, including more than 21,510 children, in addition to more than 41,283 injuries among children, while more than 8,100 citizens, including children and women, remain missing under the rubble and on the roads.
It emphasized that these violations flagrantly contradict international laws and conventions, foremost of which is the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees the right to life, healthcare, education, and protection, noting that the aggression affected the entire system of children’s rights, and deprived children of the most basic elements of living, including food, water, treatment, and education.
It pointed out that the health reality is witnessing a sharp deterioration, with the recording of approximately 15 children injured daily with permanent disabilities, and the number of child amputees reaching 864 children, in addition to 1,268 injuries to the brain and spinal cord, in light of the collapse of the health system and the prevention of the entry of medical supplies and artificial limbs, which exacerbated the suffering of children, especially in light of the spread of malnutrition.
In the social context, the Ministry explained that about 18,000 children have become unaccompanied or separated from their parents, while the number of orphans rose to 55,157 children, which reflects the scale of the deep human losses inflicted on Palestinian families.
On the educational level, it indicated that the war caused the interruption of formal schooling for two consecutive academic years, and despite the adoption of alternative paths, thousands of students were unable to receive effective education due to the absence of safe areas, the cutoff of electricity and internet, and the lack of devices, which portends a dangerous educational gap that threatens the future of an entire generation.
It added that Palestinian Child’s Day arrives this year in light of international silence, which the Ministry considered a failure to assume legal and humanitarian responsibilities regarding the violations children are exposed to that affect their right to life, dignity, and security.
The Ministry called on the international community to take practical steps, including protecting children from killing and arrest, holding those responsible for war crimes accountable, and activating the role of international institutions in defending the rights of the Palestinian child, in addition to forming an international protection network, and working for the immediate release of children detained in the Israeli prisons.
