Some 53 children and youth were killed in the October 7 massacre, 275 children under age ten were injured in the Israel-Hamas war, and 376 youth between ages 10 and 20 were injured in the war (not including those injured in the attack on Majdal Shams) Justice Minister Yariv Levin said in a report sent to the United Nations Children's Fund's (UNICEF) executive director and the Committee on the Rights of the Child's (CRC) chait last week.
Among those taken hostage by Hamas, 36 were children or youth, 34 of whom have been released, while Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who are now five and one year old, remain captive.
Some 91 children and youth had a parent taken hostage, and both of the parents of seven children were taken hostage by Hamas. Some 157 children and youth still have a first-degree relative who is being held hostage, the ministry reported.
Some 1,873 children and youth were recognized as disabled from terror attacks, meaning that "they were present at the attack and have sustained significant psychological or physical disability," said the report.
During the war, 23 children and youth have been orphaned from both parents, and 870 have lost one parent. Some 612 of these parents were killed on duty while serving in Israeli security forces, and 258 parents were killed in terror attacks.
Some 1,014 children and youth lost siblings in the war; 559 of these siblings were in Israel's security bodies, and 455 were killed in terror attacks, the report added.
Report says 50,000 youth, children evacuated from homes due to war
Approximately 50,000 children and youth were evacuated from their homes during the war, said the report.
Some 19,900 children and youth were recognized as victims of terror attacks during the war by the National Insurance Institute. This means that these children were "present during [an] attack and sustained psychological or physical damage," said the report, noting that there are ongoing recognition procedures, so this number could increase.
"In the past 10 months, Israeli children have been slaughtered, maimed, kidnapped, orphaned, and displaced from their homes. They suffered violent attacks by terrorists and experienced missiles and drone attacks on their homes, schools, and playgrounds," read the letters to UNICEF and the CRC.
Levin urged CRC and UNICEF to "address the harm caused to Israeli children" and to demand the release of all hostages.