Three Years On: Gaza’s Children Navigate Ruins While Israeli Teens Rebuild Normalcy

Key points

• Israeli teen Ron Shargian, 15, returned to his home in Netiv HaAsara over a year ago after being displaced for 1.5 years; he describes coping with fear as 'used to this reality' but notes the trauma remains.
• Palestinian teen Kazem Doghmash, 14, states his life is 'destroyed' as his school and home were bombed; he continues studying at a relocated British International School in Gaza, hoping to become a doctor.
• UNICEF reports over 21,000 Palestinian children killed since October 7, 2023, while 37 Israeli children died in the initial Hamas attacks.
• A ceasefire took effect in October 2025, but Palestinian officials report over 1,400 deaths in Gaza since then, indicating the conflict remains unresolved.
• Gaza families face severe humanitarian crises: children are forced into adult roles like fetching water, and extended family structures have collapsed due to displacement and destruction of homes.

Background

This anniversary marks the third year since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and triggered Israel’s war in Gaza. Previous coverage noted that Hamas has agreed to lay down arms in exchange for Israeli withdrawal, but internal divisions persist. A ceasefire was brokered in October 2025, yet violence continues, with stalled peace negotiations and ongoing humanitarian consequences. The current situation reflects a 'murky' transition where pre-war normalcy is unattainable for most Gazans, while Israelis are slowly reintegrating.

How outlets are covering it

CBS News highlights the psychological resilience of Israeli youth and the enduring trauma of Palestinian children, framing the conflict as a shared but asymmetric experience of loss. Al Jazeera and Mondoweiss emphasize the 'genocidal' nature of the war, focusing on the systematic destruction of family structures and the impossibility of returning to normalcy in Gaza. The Christian Science Monitor offers a more intimate, personal perspective, illustrating the tentative attempts to reclaim small aspects of pre-war life, such as swimming, amidst ongoing uncertainty. While CBS focuses on individual coping mechanisms, the other outlets stress the structural and humanitarian collapse in Gaza, noting that the ceasefire has not brought peace or stability.

Why it matters

The ongoing suffering of children on both sides underscores the long-term humanitarian and psychological costs of the conflict. The failure of the 2025 ceasefire to prevent further deaths indicates that the root causes of the war remain unresolved. The stark contrast between Israeli reintegration and Palestinian displacement highlights the unequal impact of the war and the urgent need for a durable peace to restore basic human rights and family stability in Gaza.

What to watch

Observers will watch for further violations of the October 2025 ceasefire and any progress in peace negotiations. The humanitarian situation in Gaza, including access to clean water, food, and education, will remain a critical focus. International pressure may increase as the three-year anniversary draws attention to the unresolved status of hostages and the ongoing displacement of Palestinians.