A generation erased — and the world is still arguing about numbers. Nearly 20,000 children have lost their lives in Gaza’s devastating war, with countless others orphaned, wounded, or left terrified by the relentless violence. But here’s where the story takes a darker turn: behind every statistic lies a young survivor battling hunger, displacement, and trauma that may never heal.
War’s ever-deepening toll
Jerusalem — Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed Wednesday in Egypt, with hopes of brokering a truce in Gaza and freeing Israeli hostages who remain in captivity. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner were expected to join the talks, according to CBS News sources familiar with the discussions.
The war, now stretching into its second year, ignited after Hamas’ coordinated assault on October 7, 2023, that killed approximately 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza. Israel maintains that 48 hostages remain unaccounted for, though it believes only 20 may still be alive.
In response, Israel launched an extensive military campaign. Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health claims the Israeli strikes have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians — a number Israel disputes without providing an alternative estimate. The United Nations, however, continues to treat the ministry’s data as the most credible available due to Israel’s ban on independent foreign press access within the enclave.
The scale of human tragedy
The consequences for Gaza’s children are almost unimaginable. Ricardo Pires, spokesperson for UNICEF, described Israel’s actions as a "disproportionate response" that has killed or severely injured more than 61,000 children since the beginning of the conflict.
Both UNICEF and Save the Children highlight a horrifying rhythm: on average, one child dies every hour — the equivalent of an entire classroom wiped out daily. Save the Children now estimates that at least 20,000 children have perished in Gaza since the war began, representing nearly one-third of the total Palestinian death toll.
UNICEF’s James Elder shared a haunting account from a Gaza hospital: “The first thing I saw was four children hit by drones. Halls were lined with injured kids; one boy had been bleeding on the floor for hours before being moved to make space for another. Then, I watched a little girl die. That was just half an hour in Gaza.”
These deaths are only part of the story. Thousands more have been left disabled or have lost parents. In overcrowded refugee camps, they now shoulder adult responsibilities far too soon.
Growing up too fast in Gaza
In Khan Younis, CBS News met several orphans among the displaced. Fourteen-year-old Deena Al-Za’arab, who lost both parents, said softly, “I wish this war were just a dream — that I’d wake up and see my parents beside me again. But now, I have to be strong for my siblings. I’m their guardian now.”
Ten-year-old Arat Awqal once promised her father she’d become a doctor. Now, she spends her days caring for her younger sister instead. “When the bombs fell, my father used to hold us close. Now he’s gone, and we are always scared,” she said.
UNICEF reports that one in five children in Gaza now suffers from acute malnutrition. Elder warns that the devastation extends far beyond physical wounds — the psychological toll could shape an entire generation. “When we talk about displacement, we think of it as a neutral word,” he said. “But it is violent, repetitive, and deeply traumatic.”
Displacement on a massive scale
The U.N. estimates that roughly 1.9 million people — about 90% of Gaza’s population — have been displaced, many multiple times as Israeli operations shift south. The latest evacuation order from the Israeli Defense Forces forced civilians to abandon Gaza City and relocate to overcrowded southern zones like Khan Younis.
“The area was already beyond capacity,” said Olga Cherevko from the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “Now, you see families pitching tents on the roadside. Some walked for days without carrying anything. Sanitation is collapsing — the conditions are unbearable.”
At the orphan camp where many displaced children have found temporary refuge, 12-year-old Gazal Basam grieved: “I feel such pain since my father died. I want life to go back to how it was, but I know it never will.”
The haunting question
These children’s voices echo far beyond Gaza’s borders, raising uncomfortable questions for the international community. Are global powers doing enough to protect the innocent — or have political agendas overshadowed the cost to human life?
Should the world accept these deaths as the price of war, or has the line between defense and destruction long been crossed? Share your thoughts below — because silence, too, is a choice.
