Dr. Ola Awad, President of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), delivered a stark report today on the devastating impact of Israeli aggression on Palestinian children, highlighting their disproportionate suffering in Gaza and the West Bank.

Awad detailed the alarming statistics and humanitarian fallout from 534 days of Israeli genocidal aggression that began on October 7, 2023.

A Young Population Under Siege

Children make up 43% of Palestine’s estimated 5.5 million population as of late 2024, with 47% of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents being under 18, compared to 41% of the West Bank’s 3.4 million. This youthful demographic has borne the brunt of the violence, with Awad noting that children and women account for over 60% of the 50,021 Palestinians killed in Gaza since the conflict escalated. Among the casualties are 17,954 children, including 274 infants born and killed during bombardments, 867 under one year old, and dozens who succumbed to starvation, malnutrition, or freezing conditions in displacement tents. In the West Bank, 188 children have been killed and 660 injured.

Gaza: A Childhood Stolen

Awad described Gaza as a place where “childhood bleeds out,” with 534 days of aggression leaving 39,384 children orphaned—17,000 losing both parents. These orphans now face survival without adequate shelter, care, or psychological support, living in torn tents or rubble amid widespread trauma, exploitation, and a collapse of social systems. The healthcare crisis compounds their plight, with 7,065 children sustaining permanent disabilities, including 846 amputations, and 7,700 newborns at risk due to a decimated medical infrastructure lacking essentials like incubators and medications.

Arrests and Rights Violations

The report also documented a surge in child detentions, with over 1,055 Palestinian children arrested since October 2023, including 700 in 2024 alone. Awad condemned these arrests as “systematic violations” of international law, citing night raids, physical assaults, and denial of legal aid. As of March 2025, 350 children remain in Israeli prisons, though 95 were released in January under a ceasefire detainee exchange.

Health and Hunger Crises

Gaza has seen the return of polio after 25 years, with vaccination rates dropping from 99% to 86%. Despite UN-led campaigns vaccinating over 600,000 children, challenges persist. Meanwhile, an IPC report projects 60,000 cases of severe malnutrition among Gaza’s children by August 2025, with 345,000 people facing catastrophic food insecurity. Malnutrition also threatens 16,500 pregnant and lactating women, risking further health crises.

Education in Ruins

The conflict has obliterated education, with 111 schools destroyed and 241 severely damaged in Gaza, alongside 89 UNRWA schools bombed. Over 700,000 students have been denied schooling for the 2024/2025 year, with 12,441 students and 519 teachers killed. In the West Bank, 90 students have been killed, 301 arrested, and 806,000 face unsafe access to education due to settler violence and military operations. Virtual schooling efforts have faltered amid power outages and internet disruptions, threatening an “educational gap” for an entire generation.

Call for Action

Dr. Awad’s report paints a grim picture of a childhood lost to violence, hunger, and despair, urging the international community to address what she called “the largest orphan crisis in modern history” and a humanitarian catastrophe unparalleled in scale. As the conflict’s toll mounts, the future of Palestine’s youngest generation hangs in the balance. (ILKHA)