SOS Children’s Villages International condemns the recent attack adjacent to a temporary tent encampment in Khan Younis, Gaza, accommodating 46 children under our care. The Dec. 4 attack, right next to our encampment, claimed the lives of more than 20 individuals, including children, according to medics. Fortunately, none of the children or staff of SOS Children’s Villages were physically harmed.
Targeting areas designated as humanitarian safe zones—intended to protect displaced families—is utterly unacceptable and demonstrates a blatant disregard for human life. Children must be protected at all costs. We reiterate our call for the definitive cessation of all acts of violence that harm children and demand that all parties to the conflict adhere to their obligations under international law. The repeated cycles of violence, displacement, and destruction—resulting in the killing and injuring of children and adults—constitute grave violations of the core principles of humanity and the protections guaranteed to civilians under international law.
We are particularly alarmed by the escalating violence against humanitarian aid workers in Gaza. This systematic targeting undermines critical lifesaving efforts and violates international humanitarian law, which demands the protection of civilians and aid providers alike.
SOS Children’s Villages has been steadfast in its commitment to supporting children and families in Palestine since 1968 and will continue to provide care and protection despite these challenging circumstances.
We urgently call for:
- The protection of all children and families, including those unable to evacuate following displacement orders.
- Immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip to deliver critical aid and services to minimize the risk of death by starvation and disease
- Guaranteed safe movement for SOS Children’s Villages staff and all humanitarian workers to ensure continued and coordinated assistance.
- Respect for civilian infrastructure, including shelters, encampments, schools, and essential utilities, which are vital to saving lives, supporting mental health and resilience, and preventing further crises.
Humanitarian zones must remain inviolable. The targeting of aid workers and civilians undermines efforts to safeguard populations in vulnerable situations and exacerbates human suffering. SOS Children’s Villages International stands united with the humanitarian community advocating for peace and the protection of the most vulnerable.
The international community must not remain silent and should hold violators accountable to break the cycle of impunity.
We demand the immediate cessation of hostilities, the protection of humanitarian locations and the establishment of mechanisms to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law.
About SOS Children’s Villages
SOS Children's Villages, founded in 1949, is the world's largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it.
Child neglect, abuse and abandonment is everywhere. Families are at risk of separation. Locally led, we work in more than 130 countries and territories to strengthen families who are under pressure so they can stay together. When this is not in a child or young person's best interests, we provide quality care according to their unique needs.
Together with partners, donors, communities, children, young people, and families, we enable children to grow up with the bonds they need to develop and become their strongest selves. We speak up for each child's rights and advocate for change so all children can grow up in a supportive environment.
About SOS Children’s Villages in Palestine
SOS Children’s Villages in Palestine, established in 1968, provides alternative care to more than 190 children and young people without parental care in two villages: in Rafah (now emergency relocated) and Bethlehem. The organization also runs family strengthening and other preventive programmes that support more than 400 families in the West Bank and Gaza. Since the start of the war in Gaza, SOS Children’s Villages in Palestine has provided direct humanitarian support to the most affected families and separated children.
For more information, please contact press@sos-kd.org