A Generation in Peril: The Human Cost of War on Gaza’s Children After October, 7th 2023 (Feb 2025)

A Generation in Peril: The Human Cost of War on Gaza’s Children After October, 7th 2023 (Feb 2025)
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UN REF: A/HRC/58/NGO/292

Date: 20 Feb 2025

Title: A Generation in Peril: The Human Cost of War on Gaza’s Children After October, 7th 2023

 

Written statement submitted by The Palestinian Return Centre Ltd, a non-governmental organisation in special consultative status. Human Rights Council Fifty-eighth session, 24 February–4 April 2025, Agenda item 3, Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development.

 

 

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Press Release:

PRC Report Submitted to UN Highlights Devastating Impact of Gaza War on Children

Geneva – 28 March 2025
The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), a London-based NGO in special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, has submitted a written statement to the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council exposing the catastrophic toll of the recent war on Gaza’s children.

Titled “A Generation in Peril: The Human Cost of War on Gaza’s Children After October 7th, 2023,” the report (A/HRC/58/NGO/292) documents the widespread and systematic violations of children's rights during the 15-month-long Israeli military campaign that ended with a ceasefire on 19 January 2025.

The report highlights the following key findings:

  • Over 14,500 children killed in Gaza, with thousands more suffering life-altering injuries, including amputations, burns, and hearing loss.

  • More than 17,000 children orphaned or separated from their families, joining an already staggering number of orphans from previous wars.

  • A massive wave of displacement, with children forced to live in tents under harsh winter conditions and without adequate access to food, water, or medical care.

  • Severe psychological trauma, with over a million children in urgent need of mental health support. Alarming rates of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts have been reported.

  • Around 660,000 children out of school in Gaza due to the destruction of nearly all educational facilities, severely disrupting their right to education.

    • PRC’s statement calls on the international community to secure a permanent ceasefire, guarantee unrestricted humanitarian access, and prioritize the reconstruction of Gaza’s schools and hospitals. The report also demands accountability for violations of international law, particularly regarding the targeting of civilians and children.

    "The children of Gaza are living through unspeakable horror," said PRC’s spokesperson. "The world must act urgently to protect their rights, restore their dignity, and ensure their recovery. These children are not just statistics—they are a generation at risk of being lost forever."

    The full report is now available on the United Nations Human Rights Council documentation portal under symbol A/HRC/58/NGO/292.

    Short Link : https://prc.org.uk/en/post/4903