Gaza ministry records 54,468 orphaned children as widows absorb care burden
Three siblings rotate between aunts' tents in central Gaza while the ministry reports 71,000 orphans and 64,000 widows across the territory.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Mariam, Aya, and Jebril pack their belongings every two days to move from one aunt's tent to another. The siblings, ages 16, 14, and 12, have maintained this routine since they were orphaned in central Gaza. They lost their father during the 2014 Israeli offensive. Their mother, Islam, died on the 19th day after the ceasefire took effect on 10 October 2025, when an Israeli bomb struck their makeshift shelter in Deir al-Balah.
The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development states that the Abu Asser children are part of a group of 54,468 children who have lost one or both parents since October 2023. The ministry’s registry counts at least 64,000 widows and 71,000 orphaned children across the territory. This total includes those bereaved in earlier military attacks. The system identifies approximately 3,000 children with no registered guardian, custodian, or caregiver.
Warda al-Muzeini, the children's aunt, says the siblings lack a stable home. They primarily stay with their paternal grandmother but rotate through their maternal aunts, spending two nights with each. Jebril was injured in the blast that killed his mother. Muzeini noted that he saw his mother die in front of him. Muzeini lost her own husband in an air strike and now raises four children alone without a reliable income. She reports struggling to provide one meal a day. The sisters share the financial load, with one buying pyjamas, another slippers, and another providing pocket money.
Aziza al-Kahlout, a ministry spokesperson, said the figures do not reflect the daily suffering involved. She described a child who loses both parents as losing care, safety, education, and childhood. Kahlout said these children are forced to carry responsibilities beyond their years. Women who become the sole breadwinners face the dual task of providing for and raising children amid devastation.
Kahlout warned of growing risks of child labor, school dropout, and early marriage in Gaza. She attributed these trends to poverty, displacement, and the loss of family breadwinners. Orphaned children face particular exposure as economic conditions worsen and adequate shelter remains scarce.
Wafaa al-Attar lost her entire immediate family in a separate incident. She was 10 years old on 22 February 2024 when she left her home in Deir al-Balah to charge her father's phone at a nearby uncle's house. The house had solar panels. A massive blast struck as she was about to enter. The air strike hit the multi-storey building where her family was located. It killed her father, Ahmed, her mother, Khouloud, and four siblings: Rital, eight; Muhammed, five; Obada, three; and nine-month-old Yazan.
Attar suffered minor shrapnel injuries and was taken to hospital. She kept asking about her family until her uncle arrived and told her they had died. She fell silent for two or three hours, then asked if all of them died at once. She first stayed with her grandparents before moving in with her uncle, his wife, and their newborn. Attar said she wished she had been in the house when it was bombed. Her uncle's wife reminded her that her father would want her to stay strong. Attar added that she knows no one can replace her own family.
