"In the ruins of Gaza City, one couple is now raising 36 grandchildren whose parents were killed by Israel. They now face the myriad of daily challenges of looking after and protecting them. The Aliwa family is among those who lost generations. Since their five sons were all killed during Israel's two-year assault on Gaza, Hamed and Rida Aliwa are raising the orphaned grandchildren."
"These children need care, 60-year-old Rida told Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum in Gaza City. They need food, water and special attention. It's a huge responsibility that brings me immense stress. Each of these children has experienced the pain and suffering of Israel's two-year war on Gaza; they have learned to share a single loaf of bread and fall asleep to the sound of explosions."
"Rida is unable to hide the grief of losing her sons, I would be lying if I said I didn't miss them. I miss them deeply. My heart aches for them. My sons meant everything to me they were the reason I kept going. Now, I'm taking care of their injured children."
More than 39,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents since the war began two years ago. Approximately 17,000 children were deprived of both parents since October 2023. Entire generations have been wiped out, compounding trauma for the Palestinian civilian population in the enclave. Many grandparents and relatives have become primary caregivers, exemplified by a couple in Gaza City raising 36 orphaned grandchildren after losing five sons. Children face food and water insecurity, psychological trauma, shared scarcity, and exposure to ongoing violence. At least 20,000 children have been killed, with an estimated one child killed every hour over 24 months.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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