Gaza Ministry Records 54,468 Children Who Lost Parents Since 2023 Conflict

The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development in Gaza announced that 54,468 children have lost one or both parents since the conflict began in October 2023. The ministry’s data indicates that the total number of orphaned children in the territory now stands at 71,000, a figure that includes those bereaved in earlier Israeli military operations.

According to the ministry, there are at least 64,000 widows in Gaza. Many of these women have become the sole providers for their families, managing household finances and care responsibilities without reliable income. The orphan registration system maintained by the ministry also identifies approximately 3,000 children who currently have no registered guardian, custodian, or caregiver.

Ministry spokesperson Aziza al-Kahlout stated that the statistical figures do not fully reflect the daily impact on these families. She noted that children who lose both parents lose access to care, safety, and education. Kahlout explained that these minors are often forced to assume responsibilities that exceed their age. She also described the pressure placed on women who must provide for and raise children while navigating widespread destruction.

Al-Kahlout warned that poverty, displacement, and the loss of primary earners are driving rising risks of child labor, school dropout, and early marriage. She said orphaned children are particularly vulnerable as economic conditions deteriorate and adequate shelter remains scarce. The ministry views these trends as deeply alarming signs of growing instability within the population.

The Abu Asser family illustrates the logistical challenges facing displaced families. Mariam, 16, Aya, 14, and Jebril, 12, lost their mother Islam on the 19th day after the ceasefire took effect on 10 October 2025. An Israeli bomb struck their makeshift tent in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, killing Islam. The siblings had previously lost their father during the 2014 Israeli offensive.

Warda al-Muzeini, the children’s aunt, said the three siblings have no stable home. They rotate between their maternal aunts, spending two nights with each relative. Jebril was injured when the bomb struck his mother’s tent. Muzeini, who lost her husband in an air strike, raises four children alone without a job. She said she struggles to provide even one meal per day. Her sisters share the burden, with one purchasing pyjamas, another buying slippers, and another providing small amounts of pocket money.

Wafaa al-Attar, now 13, lost five family members in a single air strike on 22 February 2024. She was 10 when a blast hit the multi-storey building in Deir al-Balah where her family was located. The strike killed her father Ahmed, her mother Khouloud, and her four siblings: Rital, 8; Muhammed, 5; Obada, 3; and Yazan, 9 months. Attar suffered minor shrapnel injuries and was hospitalized. She initially stayed with her grandparents before moving in with her uncle, his wife, and their newborn child. Attar said she spent months wishing she had been in the building when it was destroyed, though she acknowledged that her own family could not be replaced.