Over 23,000 children and youth physically or mentally damaged by war – report
Israel Council for the Child unveils extent of loss, against backdrop of increased family violence, sexual abuse, suicide attempts by children aged 9 and younger
Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
Since the beginning of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, 56 children and teens have been murdered, 389 have lost at least one parent to terrorism, 38,628 were evacuated from their homes on the northern and southern borders, and at least 23,212 have been recognized as physically or mentally damaged by the National Insurance Institute, according to a new report.
Of those murdered, 36 lost their lives during Hamas’s slaughter of 1,200, mainly civilians, along the Israeli side of the Gaza border on October 7, 2023. Another 14 died from rocket fire, four in other terror attacks inside Israel, and two in Hamas captivity — Ariel and Kfir Bibas.
These and other statistics on the impacts of Gaza war on children and adolescents during the war’s first year form part of the Children in Israel 2024 Statistical Yearbook, published earlier this month by the Israel National Council for the Child.
The group’s executive director, Vered Windman, said that while the report underlined the need for a robust government budget, the state budget passed in March appeared to cut essential initiatives, such as early childhood education, programs for at-risk children and youth, and training for professionals who provide support.
“This does not seem like a path toward recovery or reform,” she said.
By the end of February 2025, 359 children and youth had lost one parent to terrorism, and an additional 30 had lost two.
Meanwhile, up to July 2024, 612 children had lost one parent serving in the security forces, with three losing both.
As of the end of March 2025, 37 children still had parents in Hamas captivity in Gaza.
The council found that of the 23,212 children and youth recognized as victims of hostilities by the National Insurance Institute by December 2024, 2,952 were found to be suffering from significant physical or mental trauma.
It also uncovered a marked increase in life-threatening violence within the family, with 20 files opened in 2024 — four in 10 of them for murder or attempted murder — compared with nine in 2023. The number of children called as witnesses to violence between their parents also rose in 2024, by 28 percent.
Furthermore, there was a 12 percent rise in the number of files opened for sexual violence within the family in 2024. This included a 13% increase in accusations of indecent assault by force and a 16% rise for allegations of rape by force or threat of force.
The first year of the war saw 1,243 calls to the 118 hotline for reports of violence against children — up 26% from 2023 — with most citing violence within the family.
While the report found an overall 13% drop in the number of children and teens (1,030 in total) attending hospital emergency rooms for attempted suicide, there were 30 suicide attempts by children aged up to 9, a 25% increase compared to 2023. This coincided with a 14% rise in the number of 5 to 9-year-olds thought by welfare services to be in danger at home. The rise was 19% for children aged just 6.
“The trauma of October 7, the fact that hostages are still held in Gaza, including parents of children, and the ongoing war all leave deep and worrisome marks of distress, anxiety, and severe psychological challenges on our children and youth,” Windman said.
“The war creates ripple effects beyond its direct, severe consequences. These effects are evident, among other areas, in issues concerning at-risk children, child victims of sexual offenses, and those exposed to domestic violence.”
The Times of Israel Community.