November 20 is celebrated every year as World Children’s Day, a global initiative that focuses on promoting the rights, safety, education, health and overall happiness of children worldwide. This year, the observance comes amidst Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, where nearly half of the population of 2.3 million are children.
Since October 7th, there have been devastating Israeli attacks that have resulted in the deaths of at least 5,500 children as reported by Palestinian officials. This means that an average of one Palestinian child has been killed every 10 minutes, highlighting the severity of the situation. Additionally, around 1,800 children remain missing under the rubble with many feared to be dead. On top of that, a staggering 9,000 children have been injured with many facing life-altering consequences due to the conflict. Unfortunately, many of these children have already experienced trauma from multiple wars in their short lives.
The infographic that displays the names and ages of less than half of the children who were killed in the past six weeks serves as a stark reminder of how devastatingly this ongoing conflict is impacting innocent lives in Gaza. On this day dedicated to celebrating children it is imperative to acknowledge and address their urgent need for protection and wellbeing particularly in areas affected by conflict and violence.