Thousands of children in Gaza have shared their dreams for the future through the The Gaza We Want initiative, expressing their longing for peace through models made from rubble, artistic creations, and poetry. Supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), this project aims to highlight children’s visions for the reconstruction of the region, which has been largely devastated since the outbreak of conflict in October 2023. Engaging children aged five to 18, the initiative underscores the importance of meaningful and continuous child participation in decisions concerning Gaza’s future.
Security is a Top Priority
Over 11,000 children, including those with disabilities, responded to the call to ‘imagine a dignified life’ and shared their ideas. Their primary demands include shelter and security, followed by real schools with roofs, walls, and toilets. Hospitals, psychological support, and finally, playgrounds where they can reclaim what the war has taken from them, are also crucial. Jonathan Crickx, UNICEF’s Chief of Communications, noted that the drawings of thousands of children depicting clean streets, classrooms, and parks are not coincidental but a direct appeal to the world. Crickx emphasized that the children’s deepest wish is to sleep without fear at night and walk to school without apprehension.
These are not extraordinary demands. These are the basic requirements of childhood. – Jonathan Crickx
Crickx stated that he has met many children who are showing physical recovery but whose fears persist, highlighting the importance of mental health support alongside physical care.
Children’s Clarity
Jonathan Crickx shared the story of Hala, a 15-year-old girl he met at a temporary learning center in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza. He explained that months without school had negatively impacted Hala’s education, yet she dreams of a safe life, a secure home, her own bedroom, and a good school. More than 135 children have reportedly lost their lives in Gaza since October, when a temporary ceasefire was in place. UNICEF asserts that listening to children’s voices must be the foundation of any credible reconstruction. Crickx warned that the clarity of children living in uncertainty cannot be ignored, and any recovery that does not consider their voices would be a betrayal to them and to Gaza. He stressed that what Gaza’s children are defining is not abstract, but Gaza itself – the place they have a right to grow up and live in.
Aid Efforts Continue
Assistance to children in Gaza continues through UN humanitarian agencies providing fresh bread, hot meals, and digital cash assistance to displaced families. Following the detection and repair of two leaks in a major water line connecting Israel and Gaza two weeks ago, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced on Tuesday that drinking water shipments have been increased. To improve hygiene levels, the UN and its partners are working to rapidly rehabilitate damaged or destroyed pumping stations during the conflict. This is critical given that sewage overflows can lead to water contamination and the spread of waterborne diseases. Despite the launch of two new clinics for screening non-communicable diseases in northern Gaza, a severe shortage of medicines and laboratory supplies, particularly for cancer and heart diseases, persists.
