Through art, poetry, and models crafted from war rubble, thousands of young individuals in Gaza are voicing their aspirations for peace via the ‘The Gaza We Want’ initiative. Supported by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), this program engages children aged five to 18, encouraging them to share their visions for rebuilding the territory devastated since the conflict began in October 2023.
Jonathan Crickx, UNICEF’s head of communications for the Palestinian Occupied Territory, emphasized that the initiative underscores the critical importance of consistent and meaningful child participation in decisions shaping Gaza’s future.
Safety First: Children’s Priorities
Over 11,000 children, including those with disabilities, have participated, focusing on themes of dignity and sharing their ideas. Their primary concerns are shelter and safety, followed by functional schools with basic amenities, hospitals, psychological support, and safe spaces for play to reclaim what war has taken.
Crickx highlighted that the children’s consistent drawings of clean streets, classrooms, and parks represent a direct appeal to the world. “These are not extraordinary demands. They are the fundamentals of childhood,” he stated.
He shared that many children express a deep longing for uninterrupted sleep and the ability to attend school without fear, noting that while their physical wounds may heal, the emotional scars of fear often linger, underscoring the need for mental health support.
‘The Clarity of Children’: Voices for Reconstruction
Crickx recounted meeting 15-year-old Hala, who, despite missing months of education, dreams of a safe life, a secure home, her own room, and a good school. He stressed that UNICEF believes listening to children’s voices is fundamental to any credible reconstruction effort.
“It is difficult to ignore the clarity of children who have lived through such uncertainty. A recovery that ignores children’s voices will fail them – and fail Gaza,” Crickx asserted. “What the Gaza children describe is not abstract. It is the Gaza they want and have the right to grow up in.”
Ongoing Aid and Reconstruction Efforts
Humanitarian aid continues to reach children in Gaza, with the UN providing essential supplies like bread, hot meals, and digital cash assistance to displaced families. Efforts are also underway to increase drinking water supplies following disruptions, and to rehabilitate damaged sanitation infrastructure to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.
While new health clinics have opened in North Gaza, critical shortages of medicine and laboratory supplies persist, particularly for life-threatening conditions.
