Every day, many more children are killed in Gaza than in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq and other conflict zones. From afar.
In late October, the international nonprofit Save the Children reported that the number of children killed in the Gaza Strip during three weeks of Israeli bombardment had exceeded the annual number of children killed in conflict zones worldwide every year since 2019.
Since then, the number of tiny bodies wrapped in white shrouds and surrounded by grieving family members has only increased as Israel also launched a ground offensive, adding artillery fire to the destruction unleashed by its missiles.
Yet as the war rages a month after it began, even the numbers do not fully reveal the scale of the massacres of Gaza’s children.
Here’s how the deaths compare to some other major conflicts in recent years. All of these events have been horrific and devastating for children. Yet Gaza stands out. Frankly.
Gaza:
- Israel’s attacks killed 4,104 children in Gaza during the current war, reports the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
- These deaths were reported during a month of violence. That’s comfortably more than 100 children killed on average every day.
- Gaza has a population of 2.3 million people living in an area of 365 km2 (140 square miles), which equates to a population density of 6,300 people per square kilometer (16,320 people per square mile).
- Children put on makeup 47 percent of Gaza’s population, according to UNICEF.
Ukraine
- Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
- A year and eight months after the start of the invasion, Russia and Ukraine are engaged in bloody clashes on a daily basis, and the fighting has cost many civilian lives.
- Among the victims are 510 children who were killed, according to the Children of War website, a platform created by Ukrainian government ministries on behalf of the president’s office.
- These deaths represent a little less than one child per day on average.
- Ukraine has a population density of 76 people per square kilometer (nearly 200 people per square mile), according to the World Bank.
- Children put on makeup 18.5 percent of the Ukrainian population, according to UNICEF.
Iraq
- In 2003, the US government led by President George W. Bush invaded Iraq.
- In 2008, UNICEF began monitoring violations against children in the region.
- The following information was recorded 14 years from 2008 to end of 2022.
- During this time, 3,119 children were killed, UNICEF reported. That’s more than one child killed every two days.
- Iraq has a population density of 100 people per square kilometer (260 people per square mile), according to the World Bank.
- Children put on makeup 43.6 percent of the Iraqi population, according to UNICEF.
Syria
- In March 2011, protests calling for the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad and his government quickly turned into war after a violent crackdown by security forces.
- From the start of the war in 2011 until March this year, 12,000 children were killed, the UN reported. This represents on average almost three children per day.
- Syria has a population density of 116 people per square kilometer (300 people per square mile), according to the World Bank.
- Children make up 37.3 percent of the Syrian population, according to UNICEF.
Yemen
- Yemen has suffered a devastating conflict since 2015 with a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
- For seven years and six months, 3,774 children were killed, UNICEF reported. This represents four children killed every three days.
- These are just the numbers the UN has been able to verify, and the real numbers are likely higher.
- Yemen has a population density of 62 people per square kilometer (160 people per square mile), according to the World Bank.
- Children put on makeup 47 percent of Yemen’s population, according to UNICEF.
Afghanistan
- US-led forces entered Afghanistan in 2001, following the September 11 attacks of that year. The United States withdrew its forces from the country in 2021.
- From 2009 to 2020, 8,099 children were killed, according to a report from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. That’s two children per day.
- Afghanistan has a population density of 61 people per square kilometer (158 people per square mile, according to the World Bank.
- Children put on makeup 50 percent of the Afghan population, according to UNICEF.
