Gaza Ministry Reports 54,468 Orphaned Children and 64,000 Widows

The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development in Gaza has recorded 54,468 children who have lost one or both parents since the war began in October 2023. The ministry also counts at least 64,000 widows and 71,000 orphaned children across the territory, a total that includes those bereaved in earlier Israeli military attacks.

According to the ministry's registration system, approximately 3,000 of these children have no registered guardian, custodian, or caregiver. These figures represent the current demographic burden on a family structure that is increasingly stretched thin by displacement and loss.

The daily reality for many of these families involves constant movement. Mariam, 16, Aya, 14, and Jebril, 12, move between the tents of their maternal aunts every two days. Their father died during the 2014 offensive, and their mother, Islam, was killed on the 19th day of the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025. An Israeli bomb struck their temporary shelter in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, killing Islam in front of her children.

Warda al-Muzeini, the children's aunt, stated that the siblings have no stable home. They primarily stay with their paternal grandmother but rotate between maternal aunts for two nights at a time. Muzeini, a widow with four children of her own and no reliable income, said she struggles to provide even one meal a day for the group. The sisters share expenses, with one buying pyjamas and another providing slippers or pocket money.

Aziza al-Kahlout, the ministry's spokesperson, said the statistics do not fully capture the loss of care, safety, and education for these children. She noted that widows now face the dual responsibility of providing financial support and raising children amid devastation. Kahlout warned of growing risks of child labor, school dropout, and early marriage driven by poverty and displacement.

Wafaa al-Attar, 13, lost her father, mother, and four siblings in a single air strike in Deir al-Balah on February 22, 2024. She was 10 years old when she left their multi-storey building to charge a phone at her uncle's house. The blast killed her entire immediate family while leaving her with minor shrapnel injuries. Attar now lives with her uncle and his wife.

Attar said she remained silent for two or three hours after learning of her family's deaths. She told the reporter that she wished she had been with them in the house when it was bombed. Her uncle's wife reminded her that her father would want her to stay strong, though Attar acknowledged that no one could replace her own family.