Children in Gaza are bearing the physical and emotional burden of a daily struggle for clean water and food, with many walking long distances to collect water for their families. Maysara, a young girl living in a displacement camp, shared her experience with Al Jazeera, explaining that her family of six relies on the water she collects daily. “My family doesn’t have any water in the tent, not for drinking, cleaning dishes, or using the bathroom,” she said, but “I had to go quickly to fill our containers before the water runs out.”

Physical and Emotional Toll

The routine of waiting for water trucks has become part of the daily life for many children in Gaza; Maysara and her five-year-old brother, Jawad, wait by the entrance of their tent for hours, hoping a water truck will pass by. When one finally arrives, children like Maysara rush to collect the precious resource, and Carrying two containers filled with about 20 litres (five gallons) of water, the weight is a strain on their small bodies. “With a smile mixed with pain and exhaustion,” Maysara said, “I finally arrive at my family’s tent with the water.”

Other children, like 12-year-old Yamen Saleh and his six-year-old brother Aman, spend most of their day searching and waiting for water trucks and community kitchens, though this exhausting routine has taken a significant physical toll on them, according to Al Jazeera.

Health Emergency and Malnutrition

A broader health emergency is unfolding in Gaza, as reported by Project HOPE, Nearly the entire population has been forcibly displaced, children are malnourished, and healthcare access is severely threatened. The lack of clean water and adequate food is exacerbating public health concerns, with babies being born early due to stress and a surge of infectious skin diseases and rodent bites.

Water sources are contaminated, sewage systems destroyed, and parents are staying awake through the night to protect their children from a rapid outbreak of diseases spread by rodents and other pests. Project HOPE has been operating at 714% of their estimated capacity in recent months, conducting over 10,000 medical consultations each week; the organization is one of the few NGOs still providing healthcare in Gaza.

Humanitarian Crisis and Displacement

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has left more than 2 million people displaced, according to Project HOPE. Over 72,000 people have been killed since Israel declared war on the Hamas militant group in retaliation for the deadly attacks that occurred in Israel on October 7, 2023. Tents in displacement camps are transforming from temporary shelters into zones of extreme survival risk, as the lack of infrastructure and resources continues to threaten lives.

With other organizations closing and shortages of medicines becoming more severe, Project HOPE is working overtime to reach as many people as possible with care, the organization emphasizes the importance of support to continue providing care for this surge of patients. “In this moment, your support doesn’t just save clinics — it saves lives,” the report states.