The war in Gaza has had a devastating impact on children and families. Thousands of children have been separated from their parents, while many more have been displaced again and again, losing homes, routines, schools, and the safety every child needs.
According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, nearly 90% of Gaza’s civilian population – around 1.9 million people – has been forcibly displaced at least once. For children, this brings a very real risk of family separation, violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
A safe place for children in Gaza
In such a fast-changing and traumatic environment, SOS Children’s Villages Palestine continues to provide care, protection and stability for children who have been left without parental care.
At the SOS Children’s Villages camp in Khan Younis, social workers have seen a growing number of separated and unaccompanied children in need of support. Each week, the team supports an average of one to three new children.
Some children stay for around six months, while others with more complex needs may remain at the camp for longer, where they receive protection, emotional support, medical care and the love and care of trusted adults.
The aim is always to make sure every child is safe, cared for and surrounded by people who know them, listen to them and meet their needs. For some children, this means temporary care while family tracing takes place. For others, it means longer-term support from dedicated caregivers who provide the warmth, patience and stability they urgently need.
Children who arrive alone are not left alone
In Gaza, where family ties are strong, many children are successfully reunited with relatives or extended family members when this is safe and possible. But for those with no surviving family, or whose relatives cannot yet care for them, SOS Children’s Villages provides a vital place of safety amidst the chaos of war.
Here, children who have arrived alone are not left alone. They are welcomed into a caring environment where they can begin to recover, grow, play, and feel protected again.