LIFE Protects 1,200 Orphaned Children Through a Gaza Winter
Childhood Under Displacement
For children in Gaza, displacement has changed what "home" means.
UNICEF reported at midyear that 1.9 million of Gaza's approximately 2.1 million people remained displaced, while access to healthcare, water, sanitation and protection services continued to be severely disrupted.
Children remain particularly vulnerable. On August 6, UNICEF reported that at least 300 children had reportedly been killed during the 300 days following the October 2025 ceasefire announcement, with hundreds more injured. Families remain concentrated in unsafe conditions among damaged buildings, rubble and accumulated waste.
In circumstances like these, even something as ordinary as having warm clothes becomes important.
Winter Assistance for 1,200 Children
Between February 1 and March 20, 2026, LIFE supported an orphan assistance project reaching 1,200 children across the Gaza Strip.
Every child received three months of winter assistance. Each package included:
Two winter suits
One jacket
Two pairs of jeans
Two winter shirts
Two sets of thermal underwear
A hat and socks
One pair of shoes
The children were reached through distribution locations in Gaza City, Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis.
Of the 1,200 children reached, 611 were boys and 589 were girls, all under 18.
Why Clothing Mattered
In ordinary circumstances, a winter coat is a basic purchase.
For a displaced family living through prolonged humanitarian crisis, replacing children's clothing competes with food, shelter, medicine and countless other urgent expenses.
The project therefore did more than keep children warmer. By covering an essential expense, it reduced pressure on caregivers who could redirect scarce household resources toward other needs.
The assistance had a wider household impact, reaching approximately 7,200 people, including caregivers, siblings and elderly relatives.
One Child Among 1,200
Khadija is one of the children who received assistance.
Living in Gaza, she has grown up surrounded by displacement, economic hardship and disrupted access to basic services. Through the project, she received winter clothing that helped protect her from cold weather.
For her caregivers, having one of Khadija's basic needs covered meant one less expense to worry about while trying to provide for the rest of the household.
Khadija was one child among 1,200, but each package was intended for an individual child with individual needs.
Thank You for Keeping Children Warm
No item of clothing can undo what an orphaned child has experienced in Gaza. It can, however, meet a real need today.
Thank you to LIFE's donors for helping 1,200 orphaned children face the winter with appropriate clothing, greater comfort and the knowledge that people around the world continue to care about their well-being.
