"Development": 71,000 Orphans and 64,000 Widows Left by the Genocide War in Gaza

The Ministry of Social Development in Gaza issued a statement marking three years since the war, revealing the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe: 71,846 orphans, 64,413 widows, 118,876 elderly, 16,963 people with disabilities and illnesses, and 258,927 displaced families in 2,090 shelters. The ministry calls on the international community to stop the war and provide comprehensive social protection.

The Ministry of Social Development in Gaza issued a statement on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, marking three years since the war, revealing the scale of the humanitarian and social catastrophe in the Strip. According to the statement, the war left 71,846 orphans who lost one or both parents, 64,413 widows, while the number of female-headed households rose to about 86,000. The number of elderly reached 118,876, and the number of people with disabilities and illnesses was 16,963. The ministry noted 258,927 displaced families in 2,090 shelters, and that over 1.2 million people are experiencing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity, with about 530,000 families registered for aid on the national relief system. The ministry called on the international community to stop the war, provide urgent civilian protection, open crossings, and allocate sustainable funding for programs supporting orphans and families who lost their breadwinner, warning that continued international silence exacerbates civilian suffering.