In one of the most heart-wrenching human stories to emerge from the conflict, the Aliya family from Gaza City lost five of their sons during the recent war. This devastating loss has left behind 36 orphaned children, who now face an uncertain and precarious future.
The orphans, ranging in age from just one month to 16 years old, are now under the care of their elderly grandparents, Hajja Reza Aliya and her husband, Haj Hamed Aliya. The grandparents have assumed the immense responsibility of raising the children under conditions of extreme hardship and deprivation.
The family is enduring a multifaceted humanitarian crisis. They are suffering from severe shortages of essential food supplies and medicine, compounded by a catastrophic collapse of infrastructure and healthcare services. This dire situation is a direct result of the ongoing blockade and the devastating aftermath of the war on the Gaza Strip.
The grandparents have issued an urgent humanitarian appeal to international and local charitable organizations and aid institutions. They are pleading for immediate intervention to assume guardianship of these orphans and to guarantee the provision of their basic needs. This includes securing food, education, and critical physical and psychological healthcare, which are vital to ensuring a dignified future for the children after the traumatic loss of their fathers.
This case underscores one of the cruelest consequences of war: a protracted humanitarian crisis that leaves thousands of orphans and their families confronting a frighteningly unknown future. It highlights the urgent necessity for swift international action to address and mitigate the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.