In Pictures: The toll on Gaza's children

[Jefferson23]

After losing their homes and watching family members die, many children in Gaza require psychological support.

Karim Haddad Last updated: 12 Oct 2014

Politicians and donors from around the world are meeting with Palestinian officials in Cairo to talk about rebuilding Gaza. The conservatively estimated price tag from the last war is $4bn, and aid agencies have said that under current restrictions, the process will take 20 years.

But the chance of another round of violence in the coming years remains high. For those who have survived previous wars, the psychological costs have already been immense - especially for the children.

More than half of the population in Gaza is below the age of 18. Most of the youth in this besieged territory have already witnessed three wars, each one worse than the last. At least 2,150 people in Gaza were killed during the most recent war, including more than 500 children. More than 3,500 children were injured, many now struggling with life-long disabilities.

The psychological trauma endured by all the young survivors is hard to overestimate: The United Nations believes that over half of the children in Gaza now need significant support. Tens of thousands witnessed firsthand the killings of family members, neighbours and friends, and many lost their homes.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2014/10/pictures-toll-gaza-children-201410994436276375.html



Al Amal is Gaza's only real orphanage. Although it has capacity for just 100 children, the facility has taken in close to 300 who lost their parents in the war this year.


The building across the street from these children was levelled by an Israeli air strike.

[oberliner]

1. Everyone responsible for this should be ashamed of themselves

Children always end up suffering because of the stubbornness of adults.

[Krishna Vijaya]

3. We would never exploit kids for propaganda,

except when our points are not all that good, but our kid pictures are.

I'm actually surprised they didn't make the kids cry, or find kids with wounds.

[ICDBerlin1]

2. Children

Children are always those who are mostly affected at the end of the day

[Krishna Vijaya]

4. And

I quite suspect these kids did not give written consent to be used for propoganda.

[uppityperson]

5. What propaganda?

[Krishna Vijaya]

7. The propoganda above.

When you don't have arguments, you use kids for their pictures. And this was flagrant because you cannot even tell from these pictures that the kids were even sad. This is not a case where there was a unique image relating to a news event. These might as well be stock photos.

[uppityperson]

8. Are you saying that is not Al Amal orphanage but a stock photo of somewhere?

Or are you saying those can not be orphans because the are not even sad?

Please clarify as otherwise I must only guess.

[King_David]

6. Beautiful children. Shameful for those responsible for the suffering.

Thanks for posting.

[Jefferson23]

10. You're very welcome. n/t