“A protester holds a symbol representing a Palestinian child in a shroud during a demonstration demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Central London, December 9, 2023. (Agence France-Presse)”

30 October 2024

The war on Gaza and Lebanon poses a severe threat to the lives and future of children. Amid the targeting of civilian areas and vital infrastructure, children are exposed to serious violations that undermine their rights to life, health, and education, intensifying their physical and psychological suffering. 

The “Palestinian Network for Early Childhood” calls for urgent action to protect children and alleviate the catastrophic effects of the war on them.

The agressions’s impact on children:

• The Israeili agression resulted in the death and injury of tens of thousands of children in Gaza and Lebanon, leaving profound psychological effects manifesting in anxiety, fear, and continuous trauma, which negatively impacted their growth and social development.
• The number of displaced children in Lebanon has exceeded 400,000, living in harsh health conditions within overcrowded shelters that lack essential services, exposing them to risks of diseases such as cholera and skin infections. This is especially concerning with the approaching winter, which increases families’ need for heating and appropriate clothing.
• The destruction of schools and educational facilities due to ongoing bombardment, along with the conversion of most schools into shelters for the displaced, has deprived hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza and Lebanon of their right to education. This situation threatens their academic future, as these harsh conditions hinder their ability to continue their education in a safe and stable environment.
• The destruction of healthcare facilities in Gaza, combined with the ongoing blockade, has led to the collapse of the healthcare system, depriving children of basic medical care and resulting in the spread of epidemics and famine, with catastrophic impacts on children’s development and future. In Lebanon, the economic crisis and conflicts have further burdened families, worsening children’s health conditions, particularly with the rise in malnutrition and the lack of essential medicines.
• The targeting of essential infrastructure such as electricity and water has worsened living conditions in Gaza, exposing children to severe health risks. In Lebanon, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of families has created inhumane living conditions for children, reinforcing feelings of loss and insecurity.

In these tragic and unprecedented circumstances, the “Palestinian Network for Early Childhood” calls for:

1- Urgent intervention by the international community to end Israeli aggression against children and civilians in Lebanon and Gaza. United Nations agencies must uphold their responsibilities toward children as mandated by international and humanitarian laws, and prevent Lebanon from becoming a graveyard for children as Gaza has.

 2- Psychological support and the protection of children’s rights, particularly their rights to education, health, and general care. Urgent funding is needed to rebuild damaged schools and hospitals and to ensure the provision of necessary psychological and healthcare services for children, aiming to strengthen their mental well-being and prevent the escalation of future crises. 

3- Lifting the blockade on Gaza, facilitating the entry of humanitarian and medical aid, and ensuring support for displaced children in Lebanon to help them overcome the effects of the brutal Israeli attacks.

Protecting children in Lebanon and Gaza is a humanitarian and moral responsibility that cannot be delayed. The “Palestinian Network for Early Childhood” demands urgent international action to stop violations and guarantee children’s rights to a dignified life, health, and education. Our children are the future of the nation, and we must all work to provide a safe and stable environment for them, empowering them to build a better life.