Children in crisis
How is war affecting children in Gaza?
Palestinian children are bearing the brunt of the war in Gaza. We must help.
Children in Gaza are living through one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises. For nearly two years, they have faced bombardment, hunger and displacement as they bear the brunt of the war. Thousands of children have been killed, and many more are living with life-changing injuries and severe mental trauma.
More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since war erupted on October 7, 2023, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which bases its figures on Gaza Health Ministry statistics. Nearly half of the identified fatalities are women and children.
The children of Gaza urgently need a ceasefire and a massive increase in humanitarian aid. Current restrictions on food, water and medical supplies are costing lives every day.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is on the ground in Gaza, delivering critical support to Palestinian children and their families.
What is happening to children in Gaza?
Children have not been spared in the war in Gaza. The conflict has killed thousands and there are verified reports of children dying from starvation and disease. Many children have suffered life-changing injuries and are missing out on more than an entire year of education.
Children are starving to death
Hunger levels have reached alarming heights, with famine conditions being met in parts of Gaza. In July alone, more than 60 children lost their lives to hunger-related causes—deaths that could have been prevented with access to adequate food and medical care.
The Government of Israel’s blockade of aid has created a crisis: Bakeries are shuttered, food prices have skyrocketed 700% and nearly a third of Gaza’s population goes entire days without eating.
Rania Al Shrehi, an IRC staff member in Gaza, recounts: “The sound of children crying from hunger never stops. Every day, people knock on our doors asking for food. Not money—just bread.”
The IRC is screening children for signs of malnutrition and providing lifesaving treatment. But with humanitarian aid barely being allowed to enter Gaza and ongoing hostilities putting IRC staff at risk, nutrition programming has been heavily disrupted. Supplies of therapeutic food are running low and reaching those already under treatment is becoming harder by the day.
$80 can provide medical care for a malnourished child throughout the course of treatment.
Amira, an IRC nutrition officer, treats a young Palestinian child for malnutrition at Shams Camp, Gaza.
Photo: Mohammad Abu Samra for the IRC
A generation of children face severe mental trauma
Even before the current escalation, more than one million Palestinian children needed mental health and psychosocial support. Today, every child in Gaza has been exposed to deeply distressing events—losing loved ones, witnessing violence and enduring constant fear.
At least 17,000 children are now unaccompanied or separated from their parents. These children face heightened risks of child labour, exploitation, neglect, starvation and lasting mental trauma.
The IRC’s protection programmes prioritize the safety and well-being of women and children by providing case management, counselling and group activities designed to help children and caregivers cope with the crisis in Gaza.
$125 can help a displaced child access the benefits of play-based learning.
The mental trauma endured by Gaza’s children will affect an entire generation. Caregivers and aid workers report that children are in shock, clinging to others during loud noises and seeking safety by sleeping under beds.
Photo: Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images
More than 650,000 children are out of school
All children have the fundamental right to education. In Gaza, that right has almost completely vanished. At least 658,000 school-age children have lost access to all formal learning activities as most schools are being used as shelters. In addition, nearly 90% of schools have been damaged and will require major repairs or full reconstruction before they can reopen.
For Palestinian children, education is a lifeline. It reduces the risk of child labour, trafficking, and early marriage—harms that disproportionately impact girls and undermine children’s protection and well-being.
The IRC is delivering early childhood development programmes in Gaza, reaching over 22,000 children with structured activities in shelters, mobile kindergartens and community spaces. These programmes help children learn, play and regain a sense of normalcy as they continue to endure the unimaginable crisis in Gaza.
Your donation can help restore the fundamental right to education for Gaza’s children.
"For the first time in a long while, I played like this… I forgot about the war for a bit," says Sara Abu* after participating in an IRC early childhood development program.
What do Gaza’s children need now?
Children in Gaza need safety, protection and immediate humanitarian aid. A ceasefire is the best way to fully protect Palestinian lives, secure the release of hostages, and safely scale up humanitarian assistance and service delivery. All parties must take the steps to uphold international law and protect children.
The International Rescue Committee is delivering vital aid to children in Gaza
Despite severe restrictions on aid delivery, the IRC reaches Palestinians in Gaza with life-saving services every day. We have supported more than 430,000 people since the outbreak of conflict and aim to reach 150,000 more by the end of 2025.
We are supporting Palestinian children in Gaza through:
- Protection programmes to keep children safe from exploitation and abuse
- Mental health and psychosocial support to help children and caregivers cope with trauma
- Malnutrition screening and treatment to save lives threatened by hunger
- Early childhood development activities that give children stability, play and learning opportunities
How can I help children in Gaza?
The children of Gaza also deserve an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and a vast increase in humanitarian aid. Donors play a critical role in funding the support these children so desperately need.
Despite restrictions on aid delivery, the IRC continues to reach Palestinians with lifesaving health care, cash and emergency support. With operations in more than 40 countries around the world, your donation to the IRC will deliver critical aid where it's needed most.
$93 can aid in the delivery of emergency food to one crisis-affected family.
$650 can equip community health workers to perform mass screenings to diagnose children with acute malnutrition, enabling up to 90 children to be referred to treatment per day.
More from the IRC
The International Rescue Committee has over 90 years of experience helping people affected by crisis in more than 40 countries to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. We also help refugees and displaced people find safety and rebuild their lives by resettling and integrating into new communities in the U.S. and across Europe.
Donate: The IRC consistently earns top marks from charity watchdog groups for its efficient use of donor contributions and the effectiveness of its work.
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Stay informed: Learn more about the world’s most pressing crises and what the IRC is doing to help.
*Last name omitted for privacy
