Gaza Orphan Count: 54,468 Children Lost Parents

The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development in Gaza reports that 54,468 children have lost one or both parents since the conflict began in October 2023.

The war started in 2023, following a 2014 Israeli offensive that left many families partially bereaved. On 10 October 2025, a ceasefire took effect. Nineteen days later, an Israeli bomb struck a makeshift tent in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, killing Islam Abu Asser in front of her three children. The family had been sheltering there after their home in Gaza City was destroyed.

The ministry states that at least 64,000 women across the territory are widows. The total number of orphaned children stands at 71,000, a figure that includes those bereaved in earlier military attacks. Ministry registration systems indicate that approximately 3,000 children currently have no registered guardian, custodian, or caregiver. Aziza al-Kahlout, a ministry spokesperson, noted that these statistics do not reflect the daily strain on survivors. She described how children who lose both parents lose safety and education, often assuming adult responsibilities too early.

Kahlout warned of growing risks for child labor, school dropout, and early marriage. She attributed these trends to poverty, displacement, and the loss of family breadwinners. Widows who become sole providers face the dual burden of earning income and raising children amid physical devastation.

Next steps for the Abu Asser children involve a rotating care schedule. They spend two nights with each of their maternal aunts, primarily staying with their paternal grandmother during the interim. Warda al-Muzeini, their aunt, stated that the children have no stable home. She lost her own husband in an air strike and raises four children without a job or reliable income. She said she struggles to provide one meal a day. The aunts split expenses, with one buying pyjamas, another purchasing slippers, and another providing pocket money for a few days.

Wafaa al-Attar, 13, lost her entire immediate family in a separate incident on 22 February 2024. She was 10 years old when she left her home in Deir al-Balah to charge her father's phone at her uncle's house. An air strike hit the multi-storey building where her family was staying. The blast killed her father Ahmed, mother Khouloud, and four siblings: Rital, 8; Muhammed, 5; Obada, 3; and Yazan, 9 months. Attar survived with minor shrapnel injuries. She initially stayed with her grandparents before moving in with her uncle, his wife, and their newborn child. She said she wished she had been killed with her family but was reminded by her aunt that her father wanted her to stay strong.

The ministry's figures stand as of the current reporting period. The 54,468 count for children who lost parents since 2023 remains the primary metric for the ministry's social development office.