One year of war in Gaza: “My whole life has changed.” 

“My whole life has changed. It has become fear, anxiety, tension, sadness and misery. All I think about is how to keep my sisters, brothers and me safe.” 

Those are the words of Rawan*, an 18-year-old woman who lives inside the SOS Children’s Villages tent encampment in Gaza.  

Across the border, in Israel, another child—Limor*, a 13-year-old girl—growing up in an SOS Children’s Village recounts the fear after the attack last October.   

“I was afraid, I didn’t know what war meant, but my caretakers explained to us the situation and I got a hug that really helped me and made me feel calm,” says Limor.   

A child in SOS Children’s Villages in Lebanon, Yara*, mirrors her words: “Everyone around us was stressed and afraid,” she said. “When I feel stressed, I talk to my mom because her words help ease my fear. She knows me well and knows how to comfort me with her loving words.” 

All three children, who are cared for by SOS Children’s Villages, yearn for the day that the chaos and violence will cease. But one year after the first attacks, the war surrounding them shows no sign of ending.  

Your support today can provide hope, healing and life-saving aid to children like Rawan, Limor and Yara who are suffering through the horrors of war.  

Children are forgotten victims in conflict 

Children exposed to war experience trauma, grief and loss. And as children comprise around 47 percent of Gaza’s population, the impact of this conflict is severe—with between 15,000 and 19,000 children estimated to have lost their parents or caregivers. 

These children are alone—hungry and suffering from injuries and emotional distress.  

Children without care are also incredibly vulnerable to exploitation—like child labor, sexual abuse, illegal adoption and discrimination. The longer a child is separated from their caregiver, the greater these risks. 

But SOS Children’s Villages is working relentlessly to provide hope and help to children in need.  

In the year since the conflict began, together, with generous supporters like you, we have:  

• Provided 60 children without parental care with a safe, loving home in SOS Children’s Villages in Palestine until they can be reunited with their families. 

• Evacuated 68 children from the SOS Children's Village Rafah in Gaza, as well as 11 staff members and their families to a safer location in Bethlehem on the West Bank in March 2024. 

• Conducted an additional emergency relocation of children and adults from the village in Rafah to protect them from heightened security risks in May 2024. With the help of generous donors, we built shelters and provided vital emergency supplies and basic needs for the displaced children and families. 

• Relocated children and staff in Lebanon from Ksarnaba to Kfarhay in August 2024 to ensure their safety. 

• Expanded emergency centers, created support groups and worked with trauma specialists to develop tailored programs for children in Israel.  

• Prepared SOS Children’s Villages in Israel for potential escalation with generators, food, water and occupational and learning activities. 

• Supported 10,267 families with cash assistance to cover their basic needs in Gaza and Israel.  

• Developed a new project to provide 500 additional families in Lebanon with financial assistance and psychological support. 

Our dedication to protect and provide for children and families in this humanitarian crisis remains unwavering, but we need your compassionate generosity.  

“To save the lives of children caught in warzones, we must ensure safe humanitarian access, including food, water, shelter, medical care, trauma treatment and psychosocial support,” President of SOS Children’s Villages International, Dereje Wordofa said. “War has no place in the lives of children, anywhere. An immediate ceasefire is imperative. The time to act is now.” 

Please partner with us today to provide critical, life-saving aid to areas where children need it most, like Israel, Palestine and Lebanon.  

Your donation to the Children in Crisis Fund provides vulnerable children with the necessities they need, like a safe home, nutritious food, clean water, mental and physical health care and more.  

Together, we can give children everything they need to endure this conflict and thrive in the future. 

Give today and join us in ensuring no child is alone or forgotten in this life-threatening situation. 
 
*Children’s names changed to protect privacy.