Unchilding Gaza: Forced Child Labor, Economic Collapse, and the Systematic Denial of Children’s Rights During Genocide

Author: Hamamra, Bilal & Shehab, Ekrema

Abstract: This study examines the acute crisis of child labor in the Gaza Strip following Hamas’s October 7th, 2023 attack on the Gaza envelope and the ensuing large-scale Israeli military assault, situating children’s experiences within a context of economic devastation, educational collapse, and social fragmentation. Drawing on 32 in-depth interviews with internally displaced children aged nine to 16, the research employs a trauma-informed, intersectional approach and thematic content analysis to explore how forced labor has become an everyday reality for Gaza’s youth. The findings reveal that the destruction of livelihoods, the eradication of educational opportunities, and the breakdown of family and community support systems have stripped children of their rights, security, and futures. Children’s testimonies document the transition from protected childhoods to premature adulthood, marked by hazardous work, bereavement, anxiety, and the persistent pressure to provide for their families. Despite the immense psychological and material burdens, many children demonstrate remarkable resilience, mutual care, and a sustained hope for restoration of normalcy and access to education. The study emphasizes the need for sustained, rights-based strategies that prioritize the well-being, agency, and dignity of children in Gaza, and calls for a renewed global commitment to safeguarding their present and future.

Keywords: child labor, Gaza, unchilding, economic collapse, children’s rights