UNICEF warns displacement, bereavement, and damaged services continue shaping childhood across Gaza.
For tens of thousands of children in Gaza, the consequences of the war extend beyond displacement and widespread destruction to the loss of one or both parents, disrupted education, and prolonged insecurity.
Around 60,000 Children Have Lost Parents
UNICEF estimates that around 60,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents to deaths during the war or since the October 2025 ceasefire. The figure highlights the widespread loss of parental care and family stability, alongside displacement and damage to essential services.
800,000 Children Remain Displaced
About 800,000 children remain displaced, with many living in tents or damaged buildings, according to UNICEF. The agency said nearly every child in Gaza requires some form of mental health support as families continue living with the effects of violence, repeated displacement, loss, and prolonged uncertainty.
Children Continue to Die After Ceasefire
UNICEF reported that more than 340 children had been killed and hundreds injured since the ceasefire announced in October 2025. In the two weeks preceding its October 16, 2026, statement, five boys and two girls were reportedly killed in airstrikes, drone strikes and gunfire, while at least 33 children were seriously injured. Two additional boys died from injuries sustained earlier.
More Than 560,000 Return to Learning
Since the ceasefire, more than 560,000 children have resumed learning activities, including at more than 200 UNICEF-supported learning centers. UNICEF said it had provided digital cash assistance to more than 380,000 people in 2026 and continued supplying safe water to approximately 1.2 million people. The agency cautioned that these efforts remained far from restoring essential services to normal.
Sanitation and Winter Conditions Add Pressure
All six wastewater treatment plants in Gaza remain out of service, according to UNICEF, with much of the untreated sewage being discharged directly into the sea. As winter approaches, displaced families continue to face damaged shelters, overcrowding and inadequate sanitation. UNICEF warned that these conditions pose serious risks to children and emphasized the need to restore essential services and maintain humanitarian assistance.
The estimate that around 60,000 Gaza children have lost one or both parents demonstrates how the humanitarian consequences of the conflict will extend far beyond immediate casualties. For Indonesians and Singaporeans following developments in Gaza, the UNICEF figures highlight the continuing scale of child displacement, psychological trauma, disrupted education, and family loss, even after the announcement of a ceasefire.
Sources: EN Tempo (2026) , The Malaysian Reserve (2026)
Keywords: Gaza Children, Gaza Humanitarian Crisis, UNICEF Gaza, Orphaned Children Gaza, Displaced Children, Palestinian Children
