Istanbul / Anadolu

2,039 children have joined the orphan registry and 742 women have been added to the list of widows since the ceasefire came into effect in the Gaza Strip, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Social Development.

These statistics come at a time when the Gaza Strip is witnessing a severe humanitarian crisis due to the ongoing Israeli war.

More than 20 shelters and camps were targeted and damaged during the same period.

638 families lost their homes entirely, and over 800 families were displaced again due to Israeli incursions.

The ministry recorded about 3,000 women subjected to violence, 200 abandoned women, along with a notable increase in divorce rates.

The Ministry of Social Development in Gaza announced on Thursday that Israeli violations of the ceasefire have raised the number of orphans to 65,279 children and the number of widows to 28,224 women.

The ministry said in a statement that 2,039 children have been added to the orphan list since the ceasefire came into effect in October 2025 until July 2026, amid the ongoing genocide perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

It pointed out that among the children, 54,468 have lost one or both parents during the genocide.

It added that 742 women became widows during the same period, raising the total number of widows to 28,224, and increasing the number of families that lost their breadwinner and are now fully dependent on relief programs.

It also noted that about 3,000 women were subjected to violence, 200 women were abandoned, along with a significant rise in the divorce rate.

Regarding displacement, the ministry said that Israeli attacks targeted more than 20 shelters and camps and caused damage to them since the ceasefire, leading to 638 families losing their homes, whether houses or tents, and over 163 tents damaged in documented incidents.

It added that the continuation of Israeli incursions, the shifting of what is known as the 'Yellow Line,' and the reduction of areas available to civilians caused more than 800 families to be internally displaced again, forcing many of them to leave their tents and shelters and sleep in the open.

The 'Yellow Line' is a hypothetical border line defined by the ceasefire understandings reached in October 2025, marked by yellow concrete blocks, and separates the areas from which the Israeli army withdrew from those it still occupies.

The ministry stressed that the tents and shelters families have resorted to do not provide the minimum level of protection, but have become part of the ongoing Israeli targeting cycle.

It called on the international community, the United Nations, and the sponsors of the ceasefire agreement to oblige Israel to stop its attacks, provide urgent protection for the displaced, ensure the adequate flow of humanitarian aid, and fund programs for the care of orphans, widows, and families that have lost their homes.

It also demanded the expedited entry of prefabricated homes ('caravans') before winter, and finding solutions to the bread and cooking crises by allowing fuel and ignition materials into the Gaza Strip.

It stressed that 'the continuation of international silence over this daily bloodshed means participating in the ongoing suffering of more than two million people who have lost the basic necessities of a dignified human life.'

These figures reflect a serious deterioration in the social fabric of the Gaza Strip, as the genocide leaves deep psychological and social impacts. With ongoing violations, families' need for humanitarian support increases, especially orphans and widows who have lost their breadwinner. The rise in violence and divorce cases indicates immense pressure on families. The international community remains responsible for pressuring to stop violations and ensure the protection of civilians.