Palestinian grandparents care for 36 children orphaned by Israel in Gaza

‘They Call Us Mother and Father’: Gaza Couple Raises 36 Orphaned Grandchildren Amid War’s Aftermath
Published October 28, 2025

More than 39,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents since Israel’s war on the enclave began two years ago, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Of these, 17,000 children have been orphaned of both parents since October 2023.

In the ruins of Gaza City, one couple — Hamed and Rida Aliwa — are now caring for their 36 orphaned grandchildren, all of whom lost their parents in Israeli air strikes that wiped out multiple generations of their family.

“These children need care,” said 60-year-old Rida, speaking to Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum. “They need food, water, and special attention. It’s a huge responsibility that brings me immense stress.”

The Aliwas’ five sons were killed during Israel’s two-year assault on Gaza. Now, the elderly couple’s days revolve around finding enough food and clean water to keep their grandchildren alive.

“Every morning we get up and face the day, not for ourselves, but for those who now call us mother and father,” Hamed said.

Rida, holding back tears, added: “I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss them. I miss them deeply. My heart aches for them. My sons were everything to me — they were the reason I kept going. Now, I’m taking care of their injured children.”

A generation shattered

According to UNICEF, at least 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war — roughly one child every hour for the past 24 months. Thousands more have suffered life-altering injuries, with an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 children losing one or more limbs.

For the Aliwas, survival itself has become a daily battle. “The basic elements of life are almost impossible to find,” Hamed said. “We have no guarantees, no permanent shelter, no certainty of what tomorrow will bring.”

Hope under a fragile ceasefire

A United States-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, offering a brief respite after years of bombardment. However, the situation remains dire. The United Nations reports that about 473,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza, only to face massive destruction and critical shortages of food, water, and medicine.

“We live under the constant sound of drones that keep us awake all night,” Hamed said quietly. “We are scared that the war could start again.”

Despite unimaginable loss, Hamed and Rida continue to hold their fractured family together — symbols of endurance in a place where entire generations have vanished.