Since the start of the war, 19,407 children have suffered physical or mental injuries, with 37% of them (7,257 children) under the age of 6. The Israel National Council for the Child presented the data to Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
The report indicates that 38 children were murdered as a result of the attacks on October 7. 20 children lost both parents, and 96 lost one parent.
During the survey, 84% of parents stated that their children have experienced emotional distress since the war started. According to 64% of those surveyed, their children experience fear, while 62% experience anxiety. 43% of parents mentioned that their children are frightened by loud noises, and 36% said their kids are afraid to be left alone and do not want to part. 34% percent of parents reported that their children find it difficult to fall asleep.
The report also notes that from October to December, there was a 28% increase in calls to the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services’s 118 support and guidance hotline compared to the same period a year earlier. During this period, 13 investigative cases were opened against adults suspected of committing criminal offenses against minors in hotels, where many of the tens of thousands of evacuees from the north and south have relocated after October 7.
The report also mentions that 26% of educational institutions do not meet the requirements of the Home Front Command, and 15% do not have bomb shelters. In the Bedouin sector, 21% of educational institutions lack protection from rocket attacks.
