Gaza: Over 13,000 children killed, estimated 25,000 injured, UN says
FILE - The bodies of three children killed by an Israeli strike are carried for burial in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)
The war in Gaza has inflicted catastrophic consequences on children, with over 13,000 killed, approximately 25,000 injured, and 25,000 hospitalized for malnutrition, according to United Nations reports.
James Kariuki, Britain’s deputy UN ambassador, emphasized to the Security Council, “Gaza has become the deadliest place in the world to be a child.” He highlighted the tragedy of their suffering, stating, “The children of Gaza did not choose this war, yet they have paid the ultimate price.”
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed that children accounted for a third of the 40,717 Palestinian deaths documented so far, as reported by Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Additionally, UNICEF estimates that 25,000 children have been injured, and nearly 19,000 have been hospitalized for acute malnutrition in recent months.
Beyond physical harm, the toll on education and family structures is devastating. Around 650,000 school-age children have been unable to attend classes due to the destruction of Gaza’s education system, leaving a generation without learning opportunities. Thousands of children have also been orphaned or separated from their parents.
The impact extends to Israeli children as well. Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon noted the trauma experienced by children killed, injured, or abducted during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, with 30 still held hostage and many displaced from their homes.
