Children in Israel and Palestine need your help

EMERGENCY: Children are caught in the nightmare of war

UPDATE: March 2024: As violence recently intensified in the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, we successfully evacuated 68 children, ages two through 14, and 11 employees and their families from our children’s village in Rafah to a safer location in Bethlehem in the West Bank.

SOS Children’s Village in Rafah continues admitting children who have lost parental care in the ongoing war. When possible, and in the best interest of the child, we aim at placing these children with relatives. The SOS Children’s Village also hosts more than 100 internally displaced people, many of them children.

Rush relief to children in Gaza

"I'm thankful from the bottom of my heart for the people who stood up for us kids and saved us. I really hope I can do the same for others someday."

- Young person evacuated from Gaza to the West Bank

Our top priority—as always—is to protect children, regardless of location or situation. Amid the current conflict, teams from SOS Children’s Villages in Gaza, SOS Children’s Villages in the West Bank and SOS Children’s Villages in Israel are on the ground, collaborating in unity to deploy humanitarian aid and safeguard vulnerable children.

In the news

Jill Nosach, CEO of SOS Children’s Villages USA, appeared on "News Nation" to discuss the evacuation and our trauma-informed care approach.

The New York Times and other media outlets, including NPR, are reporting on this inspiring story.

For media inquiries, please contact press@sos-kd.org

How your support helps children and families

SOS Children’s Villages is on the ground in Israel and Palestine deploying urgent support where it is needed most. Our SOS Children’s Village in Rafah, in southern Gaza, is accommodating unaccompanied and separated children who have lost parental care due to the war. Additionally, SOS Children’s Villages provides:

— Direct humanitarian support to the most affected families to avoid further family separation

— Emergency care services for unaccompanied or separated children, including identification, registration, and placement in safe and nurturing environments

— Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), particularly for children and caregivers, to help them cope with trauma and emotional distress

— Financial support to families facing difficulties, including female-headed households and youth

Your support in action

Three-year-old Salam found herself all alone after a bomb destroyed her family’s house in the Gaza Strip, instantly killing her parents and trapping her little body beneath the rubble. Salam was heartbroken and grieved the loss of her parents: “I saw them dying in front of my eyes,” she said sadly.

SOS Children’s Villages staff, including a psychologist, met Salam at the hospital and brought her to a loving home at our nearby children’s village in Rafah where her new family welcomed her with open arms. Salam was inconsolable and sobbed for two whole days. When she eventually stopped crying, she was still too nervous to talk or even eat. Now, finally—after weeks of nurturing care—Salam is starting to feel more comfortable, but she has a long way to go in her journey to emotional healing. As Salam and other children in Rafah endure the nightmare of war, your generosity can offer comfort and relief.

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