Who is looking after all the orphans?

[sadsister23]

I just saw a video of a little boy who could not be more than 8 years old crying because he went to the market and came back to find that all 11 members of his family had been killed by an airstrike. There was no one there to comfort him. His grief and pain was palpable. Who is caring for these kids? It's actually unbearable to see. My nephew won't be getting the gift he wanted on Xmas Day from Santa because my sister didn't order it in time. I was worried about him being disappointed but this has totally put things into perspective.

For my own mental health I really should stop following these journalists but it feels so irresponsible to turn a blind eye. I wish there was something I could do.

I saw that, it was heartbreaking. For the most part it’s likely to be extended family, friends or even neighbors that take these children but undoubtedly they will still be traumatized for life.

I’m sure the usual crowd will be along shortly to tell you these orphans are the victims of Hamas.

Before that happens, here is an organization someone shared with me recently where you can sponsor an orphan in Palestine.

https://www.taawon.org/en

@Desertrose2023 I really hope that extended family/neighbours etc are able to help these children. Thank you so much for that link, I have just made a donation. I can't afford much but I really hope it can help someone. I would love to be able to sponsor a child for a year. I hope there are others who are in more privileged positions who are able to help. I wish I'd known about this earlier as instead of Xmas gifts I would have asked people to donate to this cause. I really appreciate you making me aware of it.

I was affected similarly by the 12yr old girl Dunia whose entire family was killed in an air strike which injured her. She had to have a leg amputated. Then while she was in Naser hospital, an IDF tank shelled the hospital. The shell came through the ceiling of her room, it directly hit her, killing her instantly.

Defense for Children had interviewed her, but the interview on X was later removed as part of the anti-Palestinian censoring being done by X (human rights organisations have filed reports, this censorship is a reality, it isn’t an opinion of mine)

I wasn’t convinced the Naser hospital shell had killed a child as claimed until I saw this interview and compared it to the post shell photos of the damage to her bed and room. It’s clear that it was Dunia that was killed in her hospital bed. Hospitals have special protections and cannot be targeted at all in a war.

❤️

@BabaBarrio I just read about that on the charity I just donated to's instagram. Unbelievable. Although in some ways maybe death would a blessing for these poor children who have no one. I can't get the videos of the children I've seen who have lost everyone out of my head. There are no words to describe the awful injustices they are experiencing. They say 'ignorance is bliss' and I wonder if I should stop following the stories for my own sanity - seeing what is happening when I can't actually do anything about it is not doing me any good at all - but I also feel that we should be aware of what is happening and not ignore it.

I don’t know what will happen to orphans. I think the churches and mosques were taking them in, but most of them have been damaged or destroyed. It is painful to contemplate especially with Gaza officially declared in famine, the definition of famine is at least 2 in 10,000 people dying every day of starvation. With people fighting over the tiny amount of aid, what chance does an orphan child have of securing water, food, shelter? I wish I could just charter a plane and bring hundreds of children out of Gaza. I know even if I were a billionaire and could afford it, it would not be allowed by the powers that be. It’s hard to feel so helpless.

@sadsister23
Yes, I feel it would be worse to pretend it’s not happening. It’s also not doing me any good at all to follow and read of the personal tragedies unfolding, putting a few faces and lives to numbers like 8,000 children dead reminds me of the human cost of it all. I am dismayed that this war hasn’t been stopped yet.

@BabaBarrio I feel exactly the same. The powerlessness we feel
is extraordinarily unsettling but of course nothing compared to what these poor people are going through. You are right, when you hear '400 people were killed' it doesn't have the same impact as seeing the faces and bodies which really brings it home. I also cannot believe this war is ongoing (is it really a 'war' when Palestine has no army/airforce etc?) and the whole thing has made me lose faith in world leaders and humanity in general.

@Desertrose2023 I have just shared the link to that charity on my Instagram in the hope that others may feel similarly inclined to help. I really appreciate you making me aware of it

I really worry about unaccompanied children in Gaza. On top of all their trauma and grief, they are also vulnerable to being abused. I know we would like to think that in a war zone people would look out for one another but I’m sure in reality that’s not the case. I remember reports of people trying to pick up vulnerable refuges from Ukraine. Who is safeguarding these children!!

@PeasfullPerson that's a good point that I hadn't even considered. The reality of the potential for abuse is terrifying.

Ive got my partners' extended family's pre Xmas get together tomorrow and it feels so wrong to be eating, drinking and being merry right now. I know whether or not I have a nice time has no bearing on what happens in Palestine but it just feels so wrong when these poor children have no one and nothing left in this world.

One of the Gazan journalists covered this on their instagram (I can’t actually remember which as I follow a few) and said in response to some American commenters asking if they could internationally adopt some of the orphans that no, most Gazans would not see orphaned children have to be raised outside of their Palestinian culture and that any orphaned children will almost always be looked after by extended family. The journalist said it would go against the Palestinian culture to have children looked after outside of the family and especially by strangers and that family is hugely important, if there are extended family members alive and able to look after orphananed children then they almost always will. I suppose there must be some cases where this isn’t possible so maybe there are charities and orphanages etc within Gaza to look after these children but I think the norm is for the, to be cared for by extended family, still the whole situation is just desperately sad and you wonder how the few surviving adults of a family will cope looking after children who will likely be injured plus bereaved and traumatised.

This has crossed my mind too. I've seen so many children who have lost their family and are unaccompanied and I wonder who is looking out for them.

I saw one child claiming they had carried a decapitated body. That kind of experience traumatizes military/medically trained adults so god knows what it is doing to children.

I also worry about the teenage boys who may be radicalised by what they are seeing.

If Gaza survives and can reconstruct a functioning society it will be a testament to the resilience and commitment of the people living there.

@MolkosTeenageAngst it's reassuring that hopefully extended family will care for these children but, as you say, it's a huge pressure on the adults. I really wonder what will become of these people who have been through such trauma - how will they go on to live a 'normal' life?

I really hope that little boy in the video from today has extended family he can rely on

Sadly you will not be surprised to learn that Israel has bombed at least one orphanage and forced others to be evacuated

Even if people believe the children are victims of Hamas surely they cannot fail to be moved and feel the devastation of these children?! It doesn't matter who they are victims of, they are suffering horrific loss.

In majority of those cases the children would be taken in by extended family or by someone in the community. You'll notice in several videos the children of Palestine are courageous and speak about not leaving their land. Of course the kids who have been made orphans is devastating but there's been journalists as well as the civilians on ground saying they will not be taken in by another country as they will not leave their land. That is because once they leave they've surrendered their land. This needs to end, should've already ended, let's hope its over ASAP.

It is actually terrifying that nothing is being done to stop this. It just goes against all ideas of morality and humanity. I also saw a heartbreaking story on Ch4 news about a young boy who was so distressed because his mother was unconscious. She thankfully regained consciousness and was able to comfort him but so many children will not have that relief.

Unfortunately unaccompanied children are extremely vulnerable to all sorts of abuse and exploitation, I can't begin to imagine how much worse this is in a war zone where there is no sort of safeguarding. The future is definitely not bright for them

This was featured on Irish news and is definitely real. Heartbreaking what a brave brave girl may she rest in peace

Its horrific to think of what is happening over there right now.

Ignore the poster obviously trying to derail this thread.

I donated to the previous link shared , thanks for posting that. Hopefully more people will see it and share it too.

Sorry meant to say thanks @Desertrose2023 for that link.