Childhood, as the world once knew it, has vanished in Gaza. What should be years of innocence and discovery have been replaced by relentless struggle and survival. Nearly two years of ongoing conflict, deemed genocide by human rights groups, have transformed children into miniature adults, burdened with responsibilities far beyond their age.

Ten-year-old Kamal Marish was one such child. Moving between tents of displaced families, he sold coffee to help his family survive. “My son was just a child, but the war made him a hundred men in one,” his father, Suleiman, said, his voice heavy with grief. Every morning, Kamal would rise early, prepare his coffee, and walk the streets with his brother, offering warmth and a brief respite amid the devastation.

Kamal’s life was cut tragically short by an Israeli airstrike on a café in Gaza City, a rare haven where families sought momentary relief from the constant drone of bombs. The explosion shattered this fragile peace, killing many, mostly children, women, and young men. Kamal was among them, a shrapnel wound ending a childhood already stolen by war.

His story is echoed across Gaza. Over 16,500 children have died since the conflict began, tens of thousands more wounded, and more than 700,000 displaced. The trauma runs deeper than physical wounds; nearly all children live with the constant shadow of death, recurring nightmares, and shattered dreams of schooling, over 90% of Gaza’s schools lie in ruins.

Suleiman’s plea is simple yet urgent: a ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian aid, and vital psychological support for Gaza’s children. “Our children deserve to live with dignity, far from fear and destruction,” he said. “How many more like Kamal must be lost before the world finally acts?”