‘Marathon’ shines light on Gaza’s orphaned children and humanitarian crisis

What Happened

On Friday, the International Networking for Humanitarian (INH) Indonesia organized a running event in Khan Younis for children who have lost one or both parents during the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. The event aimed to highlight the humanitarian crisis facing orphans, with UNICEF reporting that more than 58,000 children have lost parents since October 2023. Participants included children displaced by Israeli military operations, such as 13-year-old Saif Hijazi, who remains paralyzed following an artillery strike near his family's tent in January 2025.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The event underscores the long-term child protection crisis in Gaza, where the loss of primary caregivers and repeated displacement have left over 17,000 children unaccompanied or separated from their families. The collapse of essential services and the inability of surviving guardians to secure basic necessities like food and medicine highlight the deepening humanitarian emergency.

Watch For

Monitor reports from international human rights bodies and aid organizations regarding the scaling of long-term psychosocial and financial support for orphaned children, as well as updates on the accessibility of medical care for children injured in ongoing military operations.