Orphaned Children in Gaza Race to Raise Awareness at Khan Younis Marathon
Orphaned children in Gaza ran a community-organized marathon in Khan Younis to draw attention to the growing humanitarian and psychosocial needs facing families uprooted by the conflict.
Event draws dozens of children and families
Dozens of boys and girls took part in the race, cheered on by relatives and neighbours at a makeshift track in Khan Younis. Organisers said the event was intended to spotlight the specific hardships faced by orphaned children living amid repeated displacement and scarce services. Parents and caregivers gathered afterwards as medals were handed out and 100 orphaned children were publicly honoured.
The atmosphere alternated between celebration and grief, with families trying to create moments of normalcy for children who have lost one or both parents. The race offered participants a brief escape from the destruction around them, while serving as a public appeal for sustained support.
Humanitarian figures underline the scale of need
Local health officials and child protection agencies report tens of thousands of casualties and widespread family losses across Gaza since October 2023. International agencies estimate that a significant number of children have been separated from or lost their primary caregivers, producing a large child-protection crisis.
Those figures are reflected in growing demands for food, shelter, medical care and psychosocial services that national and international actors struggle to meet. Organisers of the Khan Younis event said the marathon aimed to ensure orphaned children are not overlooked in broader relief efforts.
Daily reality for caregivers like Warda Hijazi
For many caregivers, the marathon was a rare public respite from intensive daily responsibilities. One mother, who became the sole provider after her husband’s death and cares for a severely injured son, described the relentless pressures of securing food, medicine and a safe place to sleep for her children.
She said repeated displacements and the loss of a family income source have pushed households into poverty and dependence on sporadic aid. Psychological strain is widespread among caregivers, who report fatigue, depression and limited coping resources despite receiving some community-based support.
Children’s health and mobility needs highlighted
Organisers and families emphasised that physical injuries sustained during hostilities have long-term consequences for children’s independence and care needs. At least one participating child is paralysed after being wounded, now dependent on his mother for round-the-clock care and specialised medical attention.
Access to rehabilitation, medications and consistent follow-up remains limited, advocates said, compounding the hardships of families already lacking stable shelter or reliable income. The marathon drew attention to both visible injuries and the less visible toll of trauma and disrupted childhood development.
Calls for targeted support from aid groups
The event was organised by an international humanitarian network that urged donors and human rights bodies to prioritise orphaned children in future relief programming. Project coordinators said targeted sponsorships, long-term case management and strengthened child-protection services are urgently needed.
They warned that general humanitarian assistance, while critical, often fails to address the complex social and psychological needs of children who have lost caregivers. Local coordinators called for coordinated action between international agencies, local partners and community groups to expand support at scale.
Community recognition and symbolic gestures
Organisers used the race to create moments of recognition, calling out names and awarding medals to children to reinforce social inclusion. The first name called at the ceremony was a wounded boy who has been publicly honoured as a tribute to his resilience and the hardships his family has endured.
Participants said symbolic acts like the medal ceremony matter to children and families because they offer dignity and acknowledge loss in a public setting. For caregivers, those gestures are a reminder that their children are seen and that there are people and organisations willing to stand with them.
The Khan Younis marathon underscored an urgent policy challenge: how to translate short-term relief into durable support for orphaned children in Gaza. Families and aid workers say that beyond immediate aid, what is needed are consistent services—psychological care, education continuity, medical rehabilitation and financial sponsorship—to help children rebuild a sense of safety and a path toward a more stable childhood.
