Gaza War Leaves Estimated 20,000 Children Dead and Thousands More Orphaned
Khan Younis, Gaza — The devastating war in Gaza has left an estimated 20,000 children dead, according to international humanitarian organizations, with tens of thousands more injured, orphaned, or displaced. As indirect peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in Egypt this week, the human cost of the conflict continues to mount — especially among Gaza’s youngest.
The ongoing war, triggered by the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel that left 1,200 people dead and over 250 kidnapped, has now entered its second year. Israeli officials believe 48 hostages remain in Gaza, though only 20 are thought to be alive.
In response, Israel launched a full-scale military campaign in Gaza. The Gaza Ministry of Health, run by Hamas, claims that over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. While Israel disputes this number, it has not provided an alternative estimate. The United Nations continues to rely on figures from the health ministry, citing a lack of independent journalistic access to the region due to Israeli restrictions.
Among the dead are a staggering number of children.
“A Classroom of Children Dies Every Day”
According to UNICEF and Save the Children, nearly one-third of all casualties in the Gaza conflict are children. The figures, sourced from Gaza’s Government Media Office, suggest that, on average, a child dies every hour — equivalent to an entire classroom daily.
Speaking with CBS News, UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pires condemned what he described as Israel’s “disproportionate response,” reporting that at least 61,000 children have been killed or seriously injured since the war began.
In Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals, scenes of unimaginable horror have become routine. James Elder, another UNICEF spokesperson, described walking into a corridor lined wall-to-wall with wounded children.
“The first thing I saw was four children shot by quadcopters,” Elder recalled. “Then I watched a little girl die. That’s half an hour in Gaza.”
Lives Upended: Orphans, Displacement, and Constant Fear
At a makeshift orphan camp in Khan Younis, CBS journalists met children who are now heads of households.
Deena Al-Za’arab, 14, lost both of her parents in an airstrike.
“I wish the war were just a dream I’d wake up from and see my parents next to me,” she said quietly. “I have to keep it together for the sake of my siblings, because now I must raise them.”
Arat Awqal, just 10 years old, made a promise to her dying father to become a doctor. But for now, her days are spent protecting and feeding her younger sister.
“Whenever we heard missiles before, my father would hold us,” she said. “Now he’s gone. We’re always scared.”
These stories are not isolated. UNICEF estimates that 1 in 5 children in Gaza is acutely malnourished, and most have endured multiple displacements.
The trauma goes beyond the loss of family. Elder noted that for many children, the horror includes watching parents die before their eyes, often in violent, sudden circumstances.
“Displacement is not a neutral term,” he said. “It’s violent. It’s repetitious. And it multiplies the trauma.”
1.9 Million Displaced, Aid Access Deteriorating
The United Nations estimates that 90% of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents — or about 1.9 million people — have been displaced. Most have had to move multiple times as Israeli military operations shift southward.
Recently, Israel ordered the evacuation of Gaza City, prompting another wave of refugees heading to already-overcrowded areas like Khan Younis. Many arrived on foot, carrying nothing.
Olga Cherevko, from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said the situation on the ground has grown increasingly desperate.
“You can see people living on the side of the road,” she told CBS News. “There’s no hygiene, no sanitation. These are not living conditions — not for anyone, least of all children.”
“Life Will Never Be the Same Again”
At the orphan camp, 12-year-old Gazal Basam clutched her younger brother’s hand as she spoke to reporters.
“I feel such pain in my heart after losing my dad,” she said. “I want to live like I did before the war, but I know life will never be the same again.”
The war continues, as leaders meet behind closed doors in Egypt to attempt a ceasefire. But for Gaza’s children, the damage is already lasting — both in their bodies and in their hearts.
