While today’s agreement offers a moment of hope for children who have been suffering unimaginable loss for over 15 months, we must remember that the situation for children in Gaza remains bleak. At least 17,580 children and 12,050 women have been killed[1] in just 15 months in Gaza and over 21,000 children in Gaza have sustained conflict-related injuries - with 5,230 children (25 per cent)[2] requiring significant rehabilitation with a high likelihood of disability.
Over 46,707[3] people have been killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023, with the actual number of deaths believed to be much higher, as thousands of people remain buried in the rubble of decimated homes, hospitals, and schools. Food, water, safe shelter, healthcare and other essentials are in desperately short supply after the targeting of civilian infrastructure. Action must go beyond the immediate end of violence. Immediate and unhindered humanitarian access to all areas of Gaza is critical to address these vital needs.
The scale of the crisis in Gaza has left children and their families facing devastating challenges. The destruction of homes, infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and essential services by the Israeli military has left Gaza in an unliveable condition. The few remaining hospitals are only partially operational, significantly understaffed, overwhelmed with critical patients, and medical supplies are dangerously low, putting children at risk of untreated injuries, preventable diseases, long-term mental health and psychosocial impacts and disability.
In addition to the medical crisis, the destruction of schools and the displacement of civilians means that countless children are separated from their families, caregivers and friends and are left without access to education or safe spaces to play, heal and learn. Rebuilding educational infrastructure must be a key focus, as it provides not just learning, but a pathway to cope and heal during this traumatic time.
The complete destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza has a catastrophic impact on Palestinians, in particular the destruction of water and sanitation systems has left children exceptionally vulnerable to life threatening waterborne diseases, such as diarrhoea and cholera. Restoring clean water access and sanitation must be a top priority to avoid further health emergencies and preventable deaths of thousands of children.
Equally important is the need for immediate and wide-scale mental health support. Many children in Gaza, including thousands of orphaned or separated children, have experienced or witnessed extreme violence for over 15 months. Psychosocial services must be expanded immediately to help children begin to recover from the psychological scars of horrendous hostilities. Children who have sustained blast injuries and disabilities arising from shrapnel, burns and fallen buildings with no surviving family members require special attention.
The international community must prioritise the immediate humanitarian needs of Palestinian children and their families. Although the ceasefire is a crucial first step, the needs of Gaza’s children will not disappear once the hostilities stop. The international community must come together to support Gaza, ensuring that children’s rights to health, education, and safety are prioritised. These efforts must be part of a broader commitment to peace, justice, and lasting stability.
All civilian hostages in Gaza must be released immediately. We also renew our call for the immediate release of all children who have been abducted or detained by Israeli forces, and for a full and impartial investigation into the conditions they have faced in detention camps.
Plan International urges all governments, international organisations, and humanitarian agencies to prioritise the needs of Gaza’s children. We continue to call for all governments to cease the transfer of weapons, parts and ammunition while there is a risk they will be used to violate international humanitarian or human rights law.
The survival and future of Palestinian children in Gaza depends on our prompt collective action and meeting their humanitarian needs and is an essential step towards building a lasting and just peace in the region.
ENDS
[1] https://pmo.pna.ps/en/Article/5543/Situation-Report-18-Occupied-Palestine-23-December-%E2%80%93-30-December-2024-(until-1000-AM)
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About Plan International
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, supporters, and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support
children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national, and global levels using our reach, experience, and knowledge.
For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.
We won’t stop until we are all equal.
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