Over 39,000 orphans in Gaza, largest orphan crisis in modern history :Palestinian Children's Day

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reported on Thursday that children make up 43 percent of the population in Palestine, with more than 39,000 orphans in the Gaza Strip, marking largest orphan crisis in modern history.The estimates revealed that 39,384 children in Gaza lost one or both parents after 534 days of Israeli aggression, with around 17,000 of them left without either parent, facing a harsh reality of life without support or care.In its statement ahead of Palestinian Children's Day on April 5, PCBS emphasized that famine and malnutrition are threatening children's lives in Gaza, with 60,000 expected cases of severe malnutrition. It also confirmed the return of polio to Gaza Strip.The report noted that since October 7, Israeli occupation forces arrested more than 1,055 children, in a systematic violation of children's rights and a blatant breach of international law.Demographic estimates indicate that the population of the State of Palestine reached about 5.5 million by the end of 2024, with 3.4 million residing in West Bank and 2.1 million in Gaza Strip. Palestinian society is characterized by its young demographic, with children under the age of 18 constituting 43 percent of the total population, or approximately 2.38 million, with 1.39 million in West Bank and 0.98 million in Gaza. The under-15 age group represents 37 percent of the total population, around 2.03 million, with 1.18 million in the West Bank and 0.9 million in Gaza. Children under 18 make up 47 percent of Gaza's population, compared to 41 percent in West Bank, while 40.3 percent of Gaza's population is under the age of 15, compared to 34.8 percent in the West Bank.During the 534 days of Israeli aggression on Gaza, Palestinian children have faced an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, constituting more than 60 percent of the total casualties, along with women.The aggression resulted in the martyrdom of 50,021 Palestinians, including 17,954 children of whom 274 were infants born and martyred under the bombardment, 876 children under the age of one, 17 children who died from the cold in displaced persons' tents, and 52 children who perished due to starvation and systematic malnutrition. Additionally, 113,274 people were injured, 69 percent of whom were women and children, while more than 11,200 individuals are still missing, 70 percent of them women and children.In West Bank, 923 Palestinians have been martyred, including 188 children, and 660 children have been injured since the start of the Israeli aggression until the date of issuing this statement.A report from prisoner rights organizations highlighted an unprecedented increase in the Israeli occupation's arrests of Palestinian children. During 2024 alone, at least 700 children were arrested, raising the total number of detained children since the outbreak of the war to more than 1,055.Furthermore, approximately 7,700 newborns are at risk of death due to a lack of medical care, as remaining hospitals operate at extremely limited capacity, putting children's lives in danger. The shortage of incubators, respirators, and essential medications worsened the health conditions, increasing the likelihood of fatalities