Gaza's children witness war's harsh realities: innocence amidst conflict

If I must die,

you must live

to tell my story

to sell my things

to buy a piece of cloth

and some strings,

(make it white with a long tail)

so that a child, somewhere in Gaza

while looking heaven in the eye

awaiting his dad who left in a blaze—

and bid no one farewell

not even to his flesh

not even to himself—

sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above

and thinks for a moment an angel is there

bringing back love

If I must die

let it bring hope

let it be a tale

This poem by a Palestinian writer, poet, professor, and activist from the Gaza Strip—Refaat Alareer—represents a grim picture of the crisis the Palestinians have been enduring not since October 7, but for over 70 years, around the time of Israel’s establishment as a state in 1948. Palestinians have been continuously targeted by Israeli authorities, who use discriminatory laws to systematically dispose Palestinians of their land and homes.

While Alareer, considered ‘the voice of Gaza', was killed alongside several family members by an air strike in Gaza City, his friends and students say that his “legacy will live forever”.

The trigger

Israel’s continuous airstrikes on Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack have wiped out families. The Hamas attack caused over 1,300 deaths in Israel, with approximately 240 people taken hostage.

In the last three months, Israel’s retaliatory attacks on the densely populated Gaza Strip have resulted in significant devastation. As of January 3, 2024, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that 22,313 Palestinians have lost their lives since October 7th, with approximately 70 percent being women and children.

They say “The smallest coffins are the heaviest,” and sadly, Palestine has been enduring this burden for decades. In a span of over three weeks in November 2023, the number of children killed in Gaza surpassed the total child casualties in all of the world’s conflicts combined in each of the past three years, according to the global charity Save the Children.

Nadin Abdullatif

The voice of Nadin Abdullatif speaks volumes, as she has been repeatedly displaced following Israel’s attack. In 2021, Nadin, who was 10 years old, went viral after she shared her story in the aftermath of an Israeli bombardment that destroyed her neighbour’s house.

In the video, a visibly distressed Nadin stood in front of a devastated building, conveying the profound impact of the conflict on innocent lives and highlighting the struggles and dreams shattered by the harsh realities faced by children in war-torn areas.

Nadin, who has now turned 13, describes the horrors of the war and the catastrophes that kept following. In the recent video, she details the loss of their house, her brother, and the shelling targeting the house where they were sheltered.

Ahmad Shabat

The catastrophe that has befallen Gaza has not even spared newborns and toddlers. Heartbreaking stories emerged from the devastated Strip, with every bomb destroying several lives.

Ahmad Shabat is one of those children who has been described as a wounded child with no surviving family. The three-year-old not only lost his parents but also his legs.

In mid-November, the three-year-old survived an air strike on his home in Beit Hanoun. But his father, mother and older brother were killed, except his two-year-old brother, Mahmoud. Ahmad’s uncle was quoted as saying that Ahmad was blown into the air and was found injured about 20m from the house.

Following medical care, Ahmad and his uncle fled their residence after a house adjacent to theirs was bombed. Seeking refuge at a United Nations-operated school in al-Nasr, their stay was short-lived as they faced displacement for the third time. On November 13, another traumatic incident occurred, resulting in severe consequences for Ahmad. They were hit again by an air strike.

"I ran out of the school's door and saw Ahmed in front of me on the ground, both legs gone. He was crawling towards me, opening his arms, seeking help," Ahmad’s uncle Ibrahim Abu Amsha was quoted by the BBC. Ibrahim who is now taking care of Ahmad, hopes to send him out of Gaza for better treatment.

There is no denying the fact that the lives of the children of Gaza have been ravaged by war, as their hopes, dreams and aspirations are being crushed with every shot fired.

Razan Shabat

Unaware of the tragedy that claimed her parents and siblings in the strike that injured her, 10-year-old Razan Shabat engages in play with dolls on a Gaza hospital bed. Despite her smile, inquiring about what she misses the most reveals the absence of her parents, causing her expression to change.

As per reports, she underwent five surgeries on her legs and skull, but she has not yet learned that she is one of an estimated 25,000 children in Gaza who have lost one or both of their parents to Israel’s attacks.

UNICEF's chief spokesperson, James Elder, stated that it was hard to determine how many Gaza children were now orphans due to the overwhelming casualties and dire circumstances. Many children have not only lost both parents but entire families, with relatives or neighbours typically stepping in to care for them. However, in extreme cases, there are instances where no one survives to take on this responsibility.

The impact

“Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children,” said James Elder.

Airstrikes, misfired rockets, explosions and collapsing buildings have tragically claimed the lives of Palestinian children, including newborns and toddlers. The dire situation in Gaza has led to challenges in healthcare, with instances of treating patients without anaesthesia as the public health system has almost collapsed and Palestinians are relying on humanitarian aid. Despite the call for a ceasefire from around the world, the images emerging from Gaza talk about devastation, loss and helplessness.

The relentless bombardment of refugee camps, schools, and healthcare facilities has forced hundreds of Palestinians to flee from the central Gaza Strip.

“The essence of this war is that it was a war on children.”- Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta who treated thousands of Palestinian civilians amid Israel’s war on Gaza was quoted as saying.

The Israel-Palestine conflict is complex, and perspectives on civilian casualties vary. Israel asserts that Hamas uses civilians as shields, while Hamas denies it. The UN and aid groups highlight a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The conflict has put the Gaza Strip on the edge as it grapples with a dire lack of essential living conditions. Basic facilities are limited, and the rampant spread of diseases intensifies the humanitarian crisis. Clean drinking water remains a distant luxury for the children, while it appears that starvation is becoming the new weapon of war.

Researchers emphasise that the enduring consequences of chronic ethnic-political violence have a distressing impact on the mental health and developmental trajectory of children. This also influences their functioning and outlook on the world as young adults. The war's toll extends beyond physical struggles, leaving an indelible mark on the very fabric of their existence.