GENEVA: The United Nations reported on Friday that it estimates over 17,000 Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip have been left unaccompanied or separated from their parents after nearly four months of continued Israeli bombardments. The UN’s children’s agency, UNICEF, highlighted the heartbreaking stories of loss and grief associated with each child affected by the prolonged conflict.
Jonathan Crickx, spokesperson for UNICEF in the Palestinian territories, shared the distressing information during a media briefing in Geneva, conveyed via video-link from Jerusalem. He stated, “Each one has a heartbreaking story of loss and grief,” noting that the figure represents approximately one percent of the overall displaced population in Gaza, which stands at 1.7 million people.
Severe Impact of Israeli Attacks on Gaza Children’s Mental Health
Tracing the identities of these children has proven to be extremely challenging, according to Crickx. In many cases, children are brought to hospitals in a state of shock or injury, making it difficult for them to communicate even their names. During conflicts, it is common for extended families to take care of children who have lost their parents. However, the dire circumstances in Gaza, marked by a lack of food, water, and shelter, have added significant challenges for extended families already struggling to meet the needs of their own children.
Crickx highlighted the severe impact of the ongoing Israeli attacks on the mental health of children in Gaza. He described symptoms such as high levels of persistent anxiety, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, and emotional outbursts or panic triggered by the sound of bombings. Before the conflict erupted, UNICEF estimated that over 500,000 children in Gaza needed mental health and psycho-social support. Now, the agency believes that “almost all children are in need” of such assistance, totaling more than one million children.
