Thousands of children in Gaza are orphans
Families are opening their arms, hospital staff and volunteers are stepping in to care for thousands of orphaned children in Gaza. Many of these children are injured, psychologically traumatized and haunted by memories of their parents.
The desperate wish of the Akeila siblings
Among the countless stories of despair is that of the four Akeila siblings—Mohammed, Mahmoud, Ahmed and Abdullah. These four children cling to the hope of being reunited with their parents. They believe that once they return to Gaza City, where they grew up before war devastated their lives, their parents will be there waiting for them. “Mom and Dad will be there,” they told Aunt Samar, who was taking care of them. The brothers’ hopes were dashed in tears when they were told long ago that their parents had been killed in an air strike.
Except for Ahmed, the oldest child who was 13 years old, none of the siblings had seen their parents’ bodies. Every night at dusk, 9-year-old Abdullah prays and claims he can still hear his mother’s voice.
Their aunt, Samar al-Jaja, 31, who lives with the children in a tent in Khan Younis, tried to console them. “When children see other parents holding their children and talking to them, they feel how deep their sadness is,” she said.
The war in Gaza is separating children from their parents and vice versa, disrupting the natural order of life in the region and leaving many orphans in a state of chaos that no aid organization can explainable. Medical staff in Gaza reported that children were left wandering hospital hallways, alone and covered in blood, after being brought in from bombings. The neonatal wards are now home to newborns who have no one to claim them.
In Khan Younis, a volunteer camp has been established to shelter more than 1,000 children who have lost a parent, including the Akeila siblings. The camp even has a section dedicated to “sole survivors” – children who have lost their entire families. Even though it is at capacity, there is still a long waiting list of children in need of shelter.
The tragic story of baby Malak and his rescuer
One of the heartbreaking stories is that of Malak, a three-week-old premature baby who arrived at the UAE Hospital in Rafah last November. Her family is unknown and she was found near a mosque in Gaza City after an airstrike killed dozens of people. Amal Abu Khatleh, a midwife at the hospital, was troubled by the anonymous name “Majhoul” (meaning “unknown” in Arabic) given to the child. Determined to give her a more suitable name, Abu Khatleh chose Malak, which means “angel,” and sought help to find her family. Despite her efforts, no one came forward.
In January, worried about Malak’s health, Abu Khatleh took her home. Despite religious restrictions that made legal adoption impossible in Gaza, Abu Khatleh’s family, friends and colleagues rallied to provide clothes, formula and diapers. “Unless I find Malak’s parents, I will keep her,” she said. “I feel like she is really my daughter. I love her so much and my friends even say she looks like me.”
Thousands of orphans in Gaza
Not every child is as lucky as Malak. Between the bombings, constant evacuations and relocations, the exact number of children who lost contact with their parents or lost them permanently is unknown.
Using statistical methods from past conflicts, United Nations experts estimate that at least 19,000 children in Gaza are currently separated from their parents. They rely on relatives, other caregivers or have to fend for themselves. The actual number is likely higher due to the scale of the bombings and displacement in a densely populated area with such a high proportion of children.
During nearly a year of conflict in Gaza, tens of thousands of people have died, many of them children and parents. According to UNICEF, up to 41% of families surveyed in April were caring for children other than their own.
Dr. Deborah Harrington, a British obstetrician volunteering in Gaza, reported that some children had become orphans after their injured mothers died in childbirth. She witnessed two such cases last December.
Children and their parents are being separated in Gaza when Israeli forces capture parents or after airstrikes force children to seek medical help alone amid the chaos. Doctors reported treating many newly orphaned children, including those with amputations. Dr. Irfan Galaria, a plastic surgeon from Virginia, who volunteered to go to Gaza
Aid workers are trying to locate the children’s surviving family members or relatives. However, supportable government systems have collapsed, communication systems are not working. Evacuation orders further separated family units.
Jonathan Crickx from UNICEF sadly said: “The future of these poor children is uncertain as they no longer have loved ones and still do not know when the war will end.
