AT LEAST 57,000 Palestinian children have lost one or both of their parents as a result of Israeli attacks since October 7 2023, the Palestinian Information Centre for Health (PICN) has revealed.

Thousands of Palestinian families have been destroyed since Israel invaded Gaza after the October 7 2023 attack by Hamas, in which 1,139 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

PICN director Zaher al-Wahidi said 49,000 Palestinian children had lost their fathers, 5,000 had lost their mothers, and 3,000 had lost both parents. 

In addition, at least 2,600 families were entirely wiped out, 5,000 lost nearly all members and 6,000 experienced partial family losses.

The PICN, which is part of Palestinian Ministry of Health, said that over 1,000 children under one year old were killed in Israeli attacks and 450 were born under bombardment but did not survive. 

Israeli military action has also left 47,019 Gazan women widowed, with 26,370 losing their spouses since the October 7 attack.

The Gaza Ministry of Social Development has identified urgent needs, including psychosocial support, legal protection, childcare, healthcare, economic empowerment and vocational training. 

Around 84 per cent of the widows are aged 19 to 50 and 14.9 per cent are over 60.

United Nations high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk warned in February that “the actions of Israel appear aimed at achieving a permanent demographic change in Gaza and the West Bank, raising concern about ethnic cleansing.” 

He added: “The evidence gathered by my office reveals a consistent pattern of serious human rights violations, grave breaches of international humanitarian law and atrocity crimes that remain unpunished.”

Official figures show that 70,300 Palestinians have been killed and 171,000 injured, including 20,000 children. With tens of thousands still missing, many experts believe the true death toll is far higher.

On Wednesday, Palestinians began a general strike in cities across the occupied West Bank in protest at a new Israeli law that allows the execution of Palestinian prisoners.

Images of empty streets and closed shops in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm and Qalqilya were shared on social media, demonstrating opposition to the new law, which has been denounced across the international community.

The legislation mandates the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis with the aim of harming the Israeli state. It does not apply to Israelis who kill Palestinians.