PNGO: Gaza Faces the Worst Child Massacre of the Modern Era Under Israeli Genocide
Organizations warn of the deadliest assault on children in modern conflict history, denouncing Israel’s genocide as global institutions fail to act
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) announced on Thursday that the Israeli occupation has killed more than 19,000 Palestinian children and wounded 28,000 others since October 7, 2023 — describing it as the largest child death toll in any modern conflict.
The statement was released to mark World Children’s Day, observed annually on November 20. According to PNGO, the day arrives as Palestinian children endure “the worst humanitarian catastrophe ever committed against childhood.”
Education System Devastated, Tens of Thousands Orphaned
The Network said official statistics reveal catastrophic damage to Gaza’s educational environment. Hundreds of schools, kindergartens, and childhood centers have been completely or partially destroyed.
It added that more than 56,000 children have been orphaned, losing one or both parents during the ongoing Israeli genocide.
Calls for Urgent International Protection
PNGO urged the United Nations and its specialized agencies, along with global human rights and humanitarian organizations, to take immediate action to protect Palestinian children — especially in the Gaza Strip — describing them as “direct victims of the occupation’s crimes.”
The statement emphasized that World Children’s Day was established to uphold dignity, justice, and basic rights — life, education, healthcare, and protection from violence — as outlined in:
the 1959 Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and
the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child.
However, the Network stressed that Palestinian children are being subjected to systematic genocide, with official Israeli decisions targeting their very existence.
Hundreds of Children Held in Israeli Prisons
The Palestinian NGO Network highlighted that Israel continues to detain hundreds of Palestinian children inside its prisons, in what it described as a brazen violation of the most fundamental human rights.
PNGO stressed the need to protect these children and preserve their dignity, calling such action an ethical and humanitarian obligation.
The Network called for the enforcement of international law regarding the genocidal crimes committed by Israeli forces, and for accountability for those responsible.
It also urged immediate measures to save children’s lives by:
providing urgent medical treatment,
evacuating critical cases outside the Gaza Strip, and
ensuring the entry of food and medicine amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions caused by ongoing bombardment and the destruction of shelters and schools housing displaced families.
Urgent Humanitarian Response Needed
PNGO called on international and humanitarian organizations to prioritize children and vulnerable groups in:
recovery programs,
emergency response plans,
psychosocial support services,
official and community-based protection programs,
and guarantees of equality and non-discrimination.
“A Test of Humanity”
The statement concluded by declaring that the protection of Palestinian children is “a real test of the world’s humanity.”
It urged immediate action to halt Israeli violations and secure a future for children in Gaza and across all Palestinian territories — a call that continues to be ignored by Western governments, especially the United States under President Donald Trump, whose unwavering political and military support enables Israel’s ongoing crimes. (PW)