Missing Children

The Gaza conflict, intensified after Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, has devastated the enclave and displaced most residents. Restrictions on heavy-machinery and ongoing hostilities have limited rescue work, leaving many bodies unrecovered and a rising count of missing children. Over 2,900 children are reported missing; about 2,700 are believed trapped under rubble. The Palestinian Centre for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared records 11,200 missing persons. UNMAS catalogued over 1,000 unexploded ordnance items, roughly one per 600 metres. Gaza’s health ministry notes 792 civilian deaths since the cease-fire; WHO says half of hospitals are partially functional.

The New ArabExpress Tribune

The Palestinian Authority announced an inter-ministerial team to document missing persons, build a unified database, and provide legal, psychological, and social aid through a three-stage process. UNMAS chief Julius Van der Walt highlighted the high density of explosive remnants and the $541 million clearance estimate. Caritas Jerusalem reported talks with Israeli authorities to secure a permit for the popemobile clinic, while WHO emphasized limited hospital capacity and a large evacuation backlog. The United Nations warned that unexploded ordnance still threatens civilian safety.

Humanitarian groups criticize Israeli restrictions on heavy-equipment imports and a December order that placed 37 foreign NGOs, including Caritas, on a stop-work list, hindering aid. Families of missing children note the lack of official detainee lists, preventing verification of alleged secret detentions. UNMAS admits the catalogued 1,000 ordnance items likely underestimate the true contamination, and missing-children estimates vary between “over 2,900” and “approximately 2,700 under rubble.”

The New Arab

Majdal Saadallah said her eight-year-old son Ahmed was “laughing, holding his toy” before a building collapse buried him.

The New Arab

Missing-children estimates range from “over 2,900” to “approximately 2,700 under rubble,” reflecting limited site access. UNMAS admits the catalogued 1,000 ordnance items likely undercount the actual contamination. No official detainee lists confirm the status of individuals such as Ibrahim Abu Zaher.

The New Arab

• “a fundamental human right that does not lapse with time and is guaranteed by international conventions.” — Sharhabil al-Zaeem, Justice Minister, PA

• “It was really the wish of the Holy Father to be able to do something for the children of Gaza.” — Cardinal Anders Arborelius, Sweden

BBC News

• “There is about one piece of explosive ordnance every 600 metres.” — Julius Van der Walt, UNMAS chief, Occupied Palestinian Territory

Express Tribune

• “The last time I saw my son, he was laughing, holding his toy.” — Majdal Saadallah, Gaza resident

The New Arab

The PA team will hold regular meetings and form sub-committees for forensic, legal, and psychosocial support. UNMAS plans to expand clearance operations pending funding and access. Caritas seeks final approval for the popemobile clinic, while donors are urged to fund the $541 million clearance. Ongoing monitoring of missing-person cases and transparent reporting on detainee status remain essential.