ISTANBUL

The US-based International Rescue Committee (IRC) has expressed concern that the actual number of unaccompanied children in the war-torn Gaza Strip is likely far higher than the 17,000 estimated by the UN children’s agency.

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Doctors told the IRC that they had encountered children in hospitals who had no surviving family members and were living there virtually alone because there were no alternative care options.

A UN survey conducted in April 2024 found that as of last October, 41 percent of families in Gaza were caring for children who were not their own – a figure that exceeds the usual emergency estimates of 3 to 5 percent by more than eight times.

At the same time, UNICEF estimates that up to 19,000 children have become orphans. Although community members are helping the children, the situation remains serious. The displaced people lack basic resources such as food, water, adequate shelter and access to medical care.

The IRC said in its report that this shortage increases fears of child neglect, particularly in the wake of recent displacement, as limited space and resources may force families to prioritise their own children over others.

“Children who are abandoned or separated from their families, as well as orphans, are particularly at risk of child labour, exploitation, neglect and mental health problems. Their access to vital resources is also severely limited,” says Ulrike Julia Wendt, the IRC’s emergency coordinator for child protection.

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“A psychologist I spoke to in Gaza last month mentioned many cases of children in shock who often seek comfort and cling to adults when they hear loud noises. Some children have also started wetting the bed, having nightmares and asking to sleep under the bed to feel safer.”

“We don’t know how girls who go out to earn money get that money, and domestic violence, including sexual violence, is on the rise.”

Fears over hundreds of undetected polio cases in Gaza

Meanwhile, Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan said the confirmation of a single case of polio in Gaza indicated the possible existence of hundreds of undetected cases.

At a press conference at the Health Ministry in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Ramadan said it was scientifically known that out of 200 viral infections, only one would experience the full symptoms of polio, while the remaining cases would only show mild symptoms such as a cold or mild fever.

On August 16, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported the first confirmed case of polio, a 10-month-old child from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza who had not received a polio vaccine. It was the first case of polio in the Strip in 25 years.

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On August 16, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an important “polio pause” to allow for a vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Polio is a viral infection that can cause paralysis, difficulty breathing and death and mainly affects children. The disease is transmitted through contaminated food or water. Although there is no cure for polio, vaccination is very effective in preventing the disease and reducing its spread.

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