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Palestinian Social Development Minister Semah Hamed said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached indescribable levels, with the number of orphaned children doubling from 25,000 to 50,000 since Oct. 7, 2023.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency following her participation in the International Family Forum hosted by Türkiye's Ministry of Family and Social Services, Hamed detailed the devastating impact of ongoing attacks on Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank.
"Since the Israeli genocide began on October 7, 2023, in the 17 months that have passed, as a result of intense bombardments and direct targeting of families, the number of orphans has risen from approximately 25,000 to 50,000," Hamed stated.
The Palestinian minister explained that the adoption system typically gives priority to close relatives, but for some children, no relatives could be found because Israeli attacks completely destroyed extended families.
Hamed noted that many Gaza children have not only lost family members but also become disabled after losing limbs, requiring special care.
The Palestinian minister reported that approximately 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced in the Gaza Strip, with some families completely erased from social records.
"Israeli attacks have left devastating effects on families in Gaza and the West Bank," Hamed said, noting that mass displacement, infrastructure destruction, and elimination of basic life necessities topped these impacts.
"Some families were completely destroyed; thousands of people were forcibly displaced. Education and health services collapsed, and hunger reached dangerous levels," she stated.
Addressing educational challenges faced by Palestinian children, Hamed noted that schools and universities, including educational institutions, have been among the most important targets of Israeli attacks, and the military continues to target the education system.
The minister emphasized that many educational institutions have been converted into refugee centers, resulting in educational activities coming to an almost complete halt in most areas.
"Gaza's children's education issue has become a daily struggle for both families and children due to Israeli attacks," Hamed said.
Despite the Palestinian Ministry of Education launching online education platforms to overcome the effects of school closures, only approximately 270,000 of Gaza's 650,000 children have been able to participate in these platforms.
Turkish Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas met with her Palestinian counterpart and Gazan children brought to Türkiye for medical treatment.
"We will continue to stand by our Palestinian brothers and Gazan children yesterday, today, and tomorrow, always," Goktas said during the meeting at Bilkent Traditional Sports Youth and Sports Club Facilities.
Palestinian Minister Hamed praised the work conducted under the supervision of Türkiye's Ministry of Family and Social Services for sick children evacuated from Gaza and their parents who came to Türkiye for treatment.
"The work carried out under the supervision of the Republic of Türkiye's Ministry of Family and Social Services for sick children evacuated from Gaza and their parents who can come to Türkiye for treatment is truly commendable," Hamed said.
A Palestinian female doctor working at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis lost 9 of her 10 children in an Israeli attack, according to Gaza Health Ministry Director-General Munir al-Bursh.
"In the Israeli army's violent attack, 9 of Dr. Ela al-Najjar's 10 children, the oldest being 12 years old, lost their lives. Al-Najjar's husband, Hamdi al-Najjar, and one child, who survived the attack injured, are receiving treatment in intensive care," al-Bursh stated.
The attack occurred after Dr. al-Najjar left home to go to the hospital, when her house was targeted.
Al-Bursh noted that the attack exemplifies the reality that health personnel in Gaza endure, saying, "Words are insufficient to describe the pain. Those targeted in Gaza are not only health workers; Israel's attacks go further, destroying entire families."
Three-year-old Hasan Barbah is fighting for his life at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, representing one of the most obvious examples of the devastating effects of Israel's strict blockade on children since March 2.
Hasan suffers from liver enlargement, Fanconi-Bickel syndrome, hyperuricemia, hypoglycemia, and acute malnutrition due to lack of access to food.
Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of the Pediatrics Department at Nasser Hospital, said Hasan weighs only 7 kilograms, while a 3-year-old child should normally weigh 14-15 kilograms.
"There are approximately 15,000 children in Gaza waiting to go out for treatment, but Israel does not allow this. We call this 'indirect death.' This means if this child does not go out for treatment, the end is death," al-Farra said.
Gaza Government Media Office announced on May 8, 2025, that since the genocide began, 143 educational institutions have been completely destroyed and 366 institutions partially destroyed.
The statement also reported that more than 785,000 students have been deprived of education, and Israel has killed more than 13,000 students, over 800 teachers, and 150 academics and university faculty members.
Palestinian Minister Hamed noted that Gaza has experienced a real famine since March 2 due to Israel closing border gates, and despite extremely large humanitarian needs, only a limited number of aid trucks are allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.
"Food and humanitarian aid have not been able to reach Gaza for approximately 80 days. There is no water in Gaza, no health services, no educational opportunities for families, and many lives have been lost," Hamed said.
Hasan's mother, Amine Barbah, who lost her husband about a month ago, struggles to care for her sick son and three other children alone.
"The canned foods he eats pose a risk to his health. But since we cannot access foods like fruits, meat, and fish, I have to feed him these," she said.
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