Palestin, April 02: People of Gaza have celebrated Orphans Day to alleviate the sufferings of those Gazan children that lost their parents during the 22-day Israeli-imposed war in late 2008.
Officials from the Amal Orphanage say that the extreme conditions caused by the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has made the orphans of the enclave different from all other orphans,
“The war on Gaza created many orphans. Now the city is unable to meet the growing demands of this particular group,” said Noha Atawna, the event organizer.
A number of entertainment activities collaborated to put smile on the faces of the parent-deprived children.
Widowed mothers struggling to secure the basic needs of their family had also attended the event.
“We came here to help ease the pains of orphans, and put a smile on their faces,” said a widowed mother.
“I came to be with my children. It feels good to spend some time with my kids to forget that terrible war,” said another.
With the hardships the Gazans endure, the future remains uncertain for the kids that lost both or one of their parents.
“I have been living here for four years ever since my parents died. I hope people will build a bigger institution for orphans,” said Walid Dabbagh, one of the orphans.
Statistics show that there is an estimated 1,900 Gazan children that have lost parents during the war.
On December 27, 2008, Israeli army executed air strikes on the Gaza Strip, imposing a war that lasted three weeks.
—Agencies