‘The children in Gaza are too weak to play or sing: hunger has stolen their childhood'

Independent

18 hours ago

At the SOS Children's Village in southern Gaza, a group of children are crowding around a bus carrying energy biscuits and milk from UNICEF.
'You cannot imagine the happiness in the camp when they received those biscuits,' says Reem Alreqeb, who helps run the camp for displaced children in Khan Younis. 'It isn't that delicious, but the children felt good to taste them after three months without any sweets.'
Since Israel announced a military takeover of the Gaza Strip, life has felt even more uncertain and tense for Ms Alreqeb and the children at the camp, many of whom have lost their families. If they are asked to move, all that remains is a bus with a few tents. They don't have enough food or basic supplies to bring with them.
'I'm doing my best to stay focused and grounded, especially for the sake of the children and families who rely on us,' she tells The Independent.
This isn't the first time that SOS Children's Villages has been forced to move the children from Gaza in its care since the ongoing conflict began on October 7, 2023. In May last year, they were forced to leave their permanent village in Rafah after a ground invasion began which displaced an estimated one million Palestinians.
In just one day, they had to transport 170 people - including caregivers and their families - to a humanitarian zone in Khan Younis. On the final day of a three-day trip to bring bare essentials to the humanitarian zone, their car broke down as drones struck people overhead.
'The plane was shooting directly at the people who were around us,' Ms Alreqeb remembers. 'I thought that we were going to die at that moment.'
Within three days, they managed to install tents and contract vendors to install bathrooms and water infrastructure, but that memory still haunts Ms Alreqeb.
'It was a nightmare,' she says. 'I still dream about those days and hope that I never have to experience it again.'
In over a year, the number of children in the camp has increased to almost 50, and they receive between 10 and 15 new children every month.
Working with UNICEF and social workers on the strip, they work to look after children who are unaccompanied and separated from their families before reunifying them with relatives. Until the children are reunited with family, they stay with caregivers in a caravan that they call a home where all their needs are supported.
A lot of the children who arrive at the camp are often 'suffering from intensive hunger', says Ms Alreqeb, with some children suffering from such trauma that they become violent.
'We have a team who is very experienced at dealing with those children,' she adds, referring to the social workers and psychologist who form part of the staff. 'When these children receive the care they need, their behaviour improves.'
Every day they wake up to the sound of bombardment, but Ms Alreqeb says the ultimate challenge for the past three months has been finding food after Israel's blockade in March.
It is a daily issue for caregivers and aid workers to petition other International Non Governmental Organisations and street vendors to supply the camp with what little food remains in the war-torn strip. While they are just about able to get the bare minimum of nappies, milk, food and fuel, starvation is taking its toll on the children.
'Hunger has taken away the childhood [of Gaza's children]', Ms Alreqeb says. 'They don't have the power to play. Many children have stopped playing altogether.
'I see lots of children are too tired, weak and emotionally suffering,' she adds. 'The children no longer draw, no longer laugh, no longer sing, even. They've lost the things that make them laugh. They are frustrated and this makes us cry.'
A week ago, there was a bright spot in the bleakness of starvation when the biscuits arrived from UNICEF. One child, five-year-old Mohammed, even danced as he hadn't seen a biscuit in three months.
Ms Alreqeb says they are trying to secure more biscuits - not only for the children in their care, but for the 600 children at the school they run. She adds: 'We are advocating to provide them with the biscuits as we can imagine the effect of receiving such a small thing - what the effect will be.'
As Israel looks to intensify its military expansion in the war-torn strip, the future remains uncertain and fragile for the children of Gaza.
'Without urgent support, those children will face a life of trauma, poverty and a loss of opportunities. A lot of children will lose the right to care and protection But we still have hope,' Ms Alreqeb says.
Though bruised by years of war and worn down by hunger, when the children are asked about their dreams, they speak of becoming nurses, doctors and teachers.
'The children always ask me: 'Is the war going to be stopped? Are there people outside Gaza who will help us to stop it?'
'We still have hope that the people from around the world will advocate to stop the war.'