Every 45 minutes, a child in Gaza loses their life at the hands of Israel.

This translates to around 30 child fatalities each day, over the past 535 days.

Since the onset of the conflict on October 7, 2023, Israel has claimed the lives of at least 17,400 children, with 15,600 of these fatalities confirmed. Many more are assumed dead as they lie trapped under the rubble.

Surviving children have been subjected to the psychological trauma of multiple wars, and have grown up under the confining conditions of an Israeli blockade affecting every aspect of life.

Half of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants are children, whose homes, schools, and healthcare have been devastated by Israeli aggression.

In a room of 100 children, 2 would have been killed, 2 are missing and presumed dead, 3 would be wounded (several critically), 5 would be orphans or separated from parents, and 5 would need treatment for severe malnutrition.

The remaining children silently endure the invisible wounds of war, which impacts their mental health, safety, and future prospects.

Documented casualties among the children demonstrate the tragic loss of life across various age groups, with at least 825 infants, 895 one-year-olds, and many older children falling victim to the conflict.

Eight thousand eight hundred ninety-nine boys and six thousand seven hundred fourteen girls have been among those losing their lives.

The instance of child casualties occurs in a variety of circumstances, with many children being killed before their first birthday, and others meeting their untimely demise as preschoolers, students, and young adults, many of whom had already experienced several wars prior to their death.

These numbers represent not just statistics, but individual lives full of potential and dreams that were abruptly and unjustly cut short.

The narratives of children like Mohammed Abu Hilal, Reem, Hind Rajab, the al-Souri siblings, and Mahmoud embody the collective tragedies experienced in Gaza, emphasizing the personal stories behind the staggering figures of child fatalities. Their memories linger, manifesting the profound loss and unrecoverable innocence that continue to characterize the ongoing impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the most vulnerable population.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2025/3/26/gazas-stolen-childhood-the-thousands-of-children-israel-killed?traffic_source=rss