Winter hardship: children in Syria and Gaza urgently depend on help

Winter hardship: children in Syria and Gaza urgently depend on help

In the middle of the onset of winter and the escalating conflicts in the Middle East, the situation for children and families in Syria, Gaza and Lebanon is becoming more and more catastrophic. According to the SOS Children's Village, those affected urgently need support to survive the terrifying humanitarian conditions. Targeted aid measures are used for this, which include both humanitarian support as well as psychological and educational offers. Aid is particularly important in Syria, where, despite security risks, many emergency aid programs are continued. Numerous families in Aleppo receive support from an immediate aid program, which was set up after the devastating earthquake in March 2023. Managing Director Samer Khaddam emphasizes the importance of family reunions when refugees can return and ensure that the safety of the children has a top priority.

Refugee camp in Gaza under pressure

The location in the central Gaza is alarming, especially for the more than 30 refugees who live in a provisional camp that became unsustainable after an attack on a refugee camp in Khan Younis on December 4. Many tents are damaged, and the necessary relief goods, including food and heating materials, are becoming increasingly less common. Christian Moser, Managing Director of SOS Children's Village, criticizes the attacks on humanitarian security zones and vividly speaks for the protection of the children. The employees on site do everything they can to make the structures of the camp winter -proof in order to ensure the protection of the children in falling temperatures.

in Lebanon, the situation is similarly worrying. Ghada Hachem, director of SOS Children's Village Lebanon, describes the unpredictable security situation that traumatized children. After the evacuation of the SOS Children's Village Ksarnaba, children and employees are in a safe area, but are still affected by the horrors of the conflict. Hachem appeals to the global community of urgently providing support in order to enable the affected children a peaceful future.

"The extent of suffering is unimaginable! We urgently need help to offer the children in war areas protection, warmth and security," warns Moser and emphasizes that every contribution can be decisive. In the various SOS Children's Village programs worldwide, over 1,385,800 people are already supported in acute need, which shows that an aid organization like SOS Children's Village can have far-reaching positive effects; More on this can be learned on the website of SOS-Kinderdörfer