Israel’s War Forces Gaza’s Children to Become Breadwinners, Robbing Them of Childhood
With thousands orphaned and the economy shattered, children as young as eight are abandoning education to work, scavenge, and care for families.
Fifteen-year-old Mohammed Ashour should be in school. Instead, he navigates the rubble-strewn streets of Gaza City, calling out to passersby, hoping to sell them a cup of coffee from the thermos he carries. His father was killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, forcing Mohammed to drop out and become the sole provider for his family.
“This burden isn’t mine to carry,” Mohammed told Al Jazeera. “I’m exhausted, but I have to do it to support my siblings.”
He is one of a rapidly growing number of Palestinian children pushed into labour as a direct result of the conflict. With at least 39,000 children having lost one or both parents and Gaza’s economy devastated, children as young as eight are scavenging for scraps, selling goods, or caring for younger siblings to ensure family survival.
“After his father was killed, we were left with no income at all,” said Mohammed’s mother, Atad Ashour. “He’s still a child, but he’s carrying a responsibility that isn’t his. The circumstances pushed us into this.”
Aid agencies report that children are bearing the brunt of the war’s socio-economic collapse. UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram stated the organization is seeing more children scavenging through waste or selling coffee, and is working to provide cash assistance and educate families on the risks of child labour.
The disruption is systemic. Rachel Cummings, Gaza humanitarian director for Save the Children, noted, “The whole family structure has been disrupted in Gaza… This very precarious situation is really taking its toll.”
The statistics are dire: over 660,000 children are out of formal education, and an estimated 132,000 face the risk of acute malnutrition.
Walking home after a long day, Mohammed passes a school, a stark reminder of what he has lost. “If my father were alive, you would find me at home going to school,” he says.
Source: Al Jazeera
