A Generation Lost: Gaza’s Children Face Famine, Trauma, and Educational Collapse
A humanitarian crisis in Gaza is erasing an entire generation of children through widespread violence, severe hunger, and the collapse of the education system. While aid convoys sit at sealed borders, children are facing famine, trauma, and death on an unprecedented scale, with rights groups alleging the situation is “deliberate.”
Arab News recently published a feature article based on reports from aid groups and international organizations regarding the ongoing humanitarian crises in Gaza, which are deteriorating on a massive scale every minute that passes by.
The health of Gaza’s children is rapidly deteriorating. A report from medical charity MedGlobal revealed that 16.8% of children under the age of 5 in four Gaza governorates are suffering from acute malnutrition, a 2,000% increase from pre-conflict levels. In July alone, more malnutrition-related deaths occurred than in the preceding six months combined. As of late July, one in six children under five was severely malnourished, compared to one in 125 before October 2023.
The UN children’s fund, UNICEF, reported that 5,119 children were diagnosed with acute malnutrition in May alone, marking a 150% surge from February. Aid organizations, including Save the Children, have accused Israel of intentionally starving Palestinians, a claim Israel denies. The UN formally declared a famine in Gaza City and surrounding areas on August 22, stating that more than a quarter of the enclave’s population faces “catastrophic” hunger.
The conflict has taken a devastating human toll on children. According to Gaza’s health authority, at least 18,885 children have been killed since October 7, 2023. Beyond the fatalities, tens of thousands of children have been injured, and UNICEF estimates that up to 4,000 children have had one or more limbs amputated, often without anesthesia. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reports that over 39,000 children have lost one or both parents, while the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, estimates that 19,000 children are unaccompanied or separated from their families.
The psychological impact is profound. A 15-year-old in Gaza has experienced five wars in their lifetime, leading to high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological issues. The constant violence and instability have caused a deep sense of fear and a loss of safety, even for the youngest children.
Gaza’s education system has been shattered. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that over 660,000 school-aged children are now missing school for the third consecutive year. Most schools have been damaged or destroyed by bombardments or have been converted into shelters. The Palestinian Ministry of Education reports that Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 17,000 students and over 1,000 education staff since October 2023.
This disruption in education, combined with the extreme trauma and hunger, has led UNRWA to warn that Gaza’s youth are at risk of becoming a “lost generation.”
