Gaza genocide leaves record number of orphans and widows
Gaza genocide leaves record number of orphans and widows Submitted by Maha Hussaini on Fri, 10/23/2026 - 12:30 Israel's bombing leaves children without parents and women without partners, as bereaved families struggle to survive displacement, poverty and the loss of loved ones A Palestinian child emerges through an opening in the fabric in front of his family's tent in Gaza City on 13 October…
The Israeli bombing campaign has left a staggering number of orphans and widows in Gaza. Since the conflict began in October 2023, 54,468 children have lost at least one parent. Among these children, 3,000 have no registered guardian or caregiver. Nineteen days after a ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10, 2025, an Israeli bomb killed Mariam, 16, Aya, 14, and Jebril, 12, the Abu Asser siblings, leaving their mother Islam dead before their eyes.
The widowed aunt caring for the siblings, Warda al-Muzeini, is raising her own four children alone after losing her husband during the genocide. She struggles to provide even one meal a day for all of them. The loss of family and home has left many children without stable shelter, education, or the opportunity to grieve their losses with loved ones.
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