The New York Times published a poignant front-page feature on May 28, detailing the youngest victims of the recent flare-up of violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
During the 11 days of fighting, at least 67 children under 18 were killed in Gaza, and two in Israel, according to initial reports. The identities, photographs, and circumstances of each child’s death were corroborated by multiple sources, including parents, relatives, teachers, schools, Palestinian officials, international rights organisations, and news agencies in both Gaza and Israel.
Grief and Loss in Gaza
The obituary highlights the profound grief endured by parents. Saad Asaliyah, a taxi driver from Jabaliya who lost his ten-year-old daughter, told the NYT, “I try to calm myself by saying it was God’s will for her to go.”
Children in Gaza remain especially vulnerable, growing up amid crippling poverty, high unemployment, movement restrictions imposed by Israel and Egypt, and the constant threat of war. The New York Times estimated that an average 15-year-old would have lived through four major Israeli offensives.
Ola Abu Hasaballah, a child psychologist in Gaza, reflected: “When I think about the children who died, I also think about those who survived — those pulled from rubble missing limbs, or children who will go to school and find their friends gone.”
Contrast with Israel’s Casualties
On the Israeli side, casualties were lower due to the Iron Dome air defence system, which intercepted approximately 90% of rockets fired by Hamas — more than 4,000 in total. In Gaza, airstrikes largely struck targets without interception.
Unlike Israel, many people in Gaza lack access to safe shelters. Some seek refuge in United Nations schools, yet even these have been struck, intensifying the fear that no one is safe.
Public Discourse and Controversy
On 22 May, the New York Times also published a full-page advertisement by a pro-Israel group, criticising pro-Palestinian celebrities such as the Hadid sisters and Dua Lipa, adding to the ongoing debate over international perspectives on the conflict.
The New York Times’ coverage underscores the tragedy and human cost of the Israel-Gaza conflict, drawing attention to the devastating impact on Gaza’s children — innocent victims of a cycle of violence that continues unabated.