War in Gaza

Childhood in Gaza has been completely shattered. Palestinian children in Gaza have endured a year of unrelenting siege, marked by relentless Israeli airstrikes that have wiped out any semblance of a normal childhood. 

The occupied Palestinian territory, specifically Gaza, is the deadliest place on earth to be a child. 

Palestinian children have been uprooted time and time again, denied access to the basics they need to survive, had their hopes and dreams shattered, and a year of their education stolen. Those who survive live a life that no child should have to. The Israeli occupation – found illegal by the International Court of Justice, the world’s highest court – and ongoing war have not only devastated their daily lives today but threaten to impact their lives for years to come.

Children in Gaza are paying the heaviest price for an unrelenting war they’ve played no part in. They are being killed by bombs and bullets at an unprecedented rate. They have lost homes, loved ones, and the safety to which they have a right. They are dying because of hunger and disease. Children are meant to be off limits in war. They have specific vulnerabilities, rights and obligations owed to them. Yet they continue to pay for this war with their lives and futures. It must stop. They must be protected.

What we have been warning about for over a year is imminent. As of early November, the IPC 38 warned that there is a strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas within the northern Gaza Strip. Action is needed today, now and within days and not weeks. Children cannot wait.

An immediate and definitive ceasefire is the only way to save lives in Gaza and end grave violations of children’s rights. There is no alternative.

Amidst extremely challenging conditions, we’ve been working around the clock to find ways to deliver aid to children. Our response has significantly scaled up since October 2023, leveraging our existing footprint, technical expertise, and partnerships to address the evolving humanitarian crisis

As of 7 November 2024, Save the Children and its partners have reached more than 1,068,990 people across the occupied Palestinian territory, including over 1,038,831 people in Gaza across 50 locations.

Alongside local partners, we’re distributing vital supplies to families across shelters and households - drinking water, food, hygiene products, mattresses, blankets, learning materials, toys, and games.

We are the third largest cash assistance provider in Gaza. In November, we will assist 11,000 families with approximately $3M in addition to around 15,000 families already assisted during the last year. 

In October 2024, we opened a second primary health care centre in Khan Younis, treating over 800 patients and conducting nutrition screening for more than 205 children under 5 in its first five days. We’re running Child Friendly Spaces, ensuring children have a safe space to play, receive psychosocial support and escape from the traumatic experiences they’re enduring. 

One year into a crisis like this, we’d expect to be fully operational, delivering aid to children and families who need it at scale. Instead, we are being forced to operate in impossible conditions, and not enough aid is getting to families in Gaza. Until we have full and safe access, we can’t provide the level of support that children and families need. The challenges aid workers face in reaching children and families must never become the new normal. 

We are prepared to scale up further in Gaza to respond to the spiralling needs. But the basic conditions to reach families need to be established by the Government of Israel by lifting the siege and facilitating the safe, unobstructed delivery of aid across Gaza.

We are by children’s side in Gaza and we’ll keep calling for a world that respects their right to survive and be protected. But we can’t do it without your support.

Tima* (26) found out she was pregnant in July 2023. She was excited to be having her second child. Then in October 2023, the war in Gaza started and everything changed.

Tima* and her family now live in a tent in central Gaza. She was very worried about where she would give birth safely until she found Save the Children’s new maternity unit, set up by our Emergency Health Unit.

Tima ended up giving birth there and her daughter Lana* became the first baby to be born in our maternity unit.

Although baby Lana was healthy when she left the hospital, after three days she developed a fever, refused to breastfeed and had blood coming from her umbilical cord. Baby Lana had contracted sepsis due to the tough living conditions in Al-Mawasi where her family lives in a tent.

If left untreated, sepsis can easily kill a baby. But Lana was lucky to be treated in time at our hospital and has now made a full recovery.