World Children’s Day, celebrated annually on November 20, is a global initiative promoting children’s rights, safety, education, health, and happiness.
This year, the celebration comes amid Israel’s war on Gaza. With a population of 2.3 million people, about half of Gaza consists of children. Since October 7, Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of at least 5500 children, according to Palestinian officials. This equates to one Palestinian child being killed every 10 minutes, or about one out of every 200 children in the Gaza Strip.
The devastation doesn’t end there, as an additional 1800 children are missing under the rubble, with most of them presumed dead. On top of that, a further 9000 children have been injured, many with life-changing consequences. These children have endured the trauma of multiple wars throughout their young lives.
The heartbreaking infographic below lists the names and ages of less than half of the children killed over the past six weeks. These statistics serve as a grim reminder of the urgent need to protect and advocate for the rights and well-being of children, not just in Gaza, but around the world. On World Children’s Day, it is crucial to recognize the importance of safeguarding and promoting the rights and safety of all children, regardless of their circumstances.