20,179 Children Killed in Genocide, Over 12 Lakh Kids Food-Deprived: Gaza Health Ministry

New Delhi: Over 12 lakh children in Gaza are deprived of food, while 58,554 children have been orphaned, according to data released by the Ministry of Health in Gaza, on October 7, 2025.

Israel’s war on Gaza – which has been declared a genocide by a UN commission of inquiry – remains ongoing, while 9,14,102 children remain deprived of education and 5,580 children await medical evacuation.

The data reveals that till October 7, 2025, a total of 20,179 children have been killed in the genocide, adding that a child is killed “every 52 minutes” in Gaza. Of these, 1,029 children were “below” the age of “one year”, 5,031 children were “below” the age of “five years” and 420 children were “born and killed in war”.

Vaccination coverage in children has dropped from 98.7% in 2022, to 80% in 2025, while 1,102 children have undergone amputations.

Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty

Despite the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, concluding in its report that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza, and US President Donald Trump's “20-point” plan for Gaza – Israel continues to bomb the Gaza strip.

According to Al-Jazeera English, in its live update bulletin on October 8, 2025 (as of 2.45 pm IST), loud explosions were heard in Gaza city, “resulting from the extensive use of remotely controlled armoured vehicles that are laden with tonnes of explosives”. This is despite ceasefire talks, in Egypt, entering its third day.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Health in Gaza as of October 7, 67,173 people have been killed in Gaza, 1,69,780 have been injured.

Of the fatalities 20,179 (30%) were children, 10,427 (16%)  were women, 4,813 (7%) were elderly and 31,754 (47%) were men. Further, 4,900 people have amputation and disabilities.

The report notes that 13 families are exposed to massacres daily, adding that 8,910 families were massacred in total.

Food insecurity and healthcare

During the year 2025, the data shows, the number of abortions stood at 4,163, premature births at 2,415 and neonatal deaths at 274.

Deaths due to malnutrition witnessed a massive spike, standing at four in 2023, and rising to 408 in 2025. It is to note that 157 (34.1%) of these deaths were children, 188 were (40.8%) elderly, 44 (9.5%) were women, and 72 (15.6%) were men.

Of the 14,383 children (in August 2025)  – who are under the age of five – suffering from malnutrition, 3,466 are suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In January 2025, the data for the latter stood at 452 children.

All 38 hospitals in Gaza have been targeted, the data shows, while only 13 are partially operational and 25 are “out of service”.

All 157 primary health care centres in Gaza were targeted, the data shows, while 103 of them are “out of service” and 54 are partially operational.

It is to note that the monthly hospital bed occupancy has increased from 82% (in September 2023) to “225.5”% in September 2025. For an estimated population 21,00,000, the total number of hospital beds have decreased from 3,560 (in 2022) to 1,578 (in 2025).

Further, 362 health personnel remain in Israeli detention, 1,701 health personnel have been killed and 211 ambulances have been targeted, the data shows.

Of the medical equipment, those destroyed include  all seven MRI machines, 10 out 17 CT scanners, 25 out of 35 oxygen stations and 61 out of 110 power generators.

Only 116 water wells, out of the 260 in Gaza, now remain functional, while the daily per capita share of water has decreased from 84.6 litres (before October 7, 2023) to five litres.

Muneef Khan is an independent journalist.

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