SHOTLIST:

KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA, PALESTINE (DEC. 29, 2025) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS OF TENTS AT DISPLACEMENT CAMP IN KHAN YOUNIS

2. PALESTINIAN CHILD TAYSIR ABU SHAHMA PLAYING WITH BALL OUTSIDE TENT

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN CHILD TAYSIR ABU SHAHMA, SAYING:

“…For the new year, my wish is to be safe… I want electricity and water… I want to return to school… I want the war to end so that my grandfather can finally rest…”

4. CHILD SHOWING PHOTO OF FAMILY MEMBERS LOST IN WAR

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN CHILD DUA ABDULAZIZ, SAYING:

“…I want to return to our home… I want to live safely with my brother… I want to study and not live in tents anymore…”

6. VARIOUS OF DUA ABDULAZIZ PLAYING WITH HER BROTHER AND COMBING HAIR INSIDE TENT

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN CHILD ANAS ABDULAZIZ, SAYING:

“…I lost my mother and father… All I want is a good new year… I want the war to end and to return home…”

8. ANAS ABDULAZIZ CRYING

9. ANAS ABDULAZIZ AND DUA ABDULAZIZ PLAYING IN FRONT OF THEIR TENT

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN CHILD MAHMOUD SHAHHAT, SAYING:

“…I lost both of my parents in a single day… I want the war to end… I want to be able to visit their graves and live in a home again…”

11. VARIOUS OF DAILY LIFE OF DISPLACED PALESTINIANS AND CHILDREN INSIDE TENT CAMP KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA, PALESTINE - DEC. 29: Orphaned Palestinian children living in displacement camps in Khan Younis shared their hopes for peace, safety, and a return to their neighborhoods in 2026.

Children who lost their parents during Israeli attacks now live in tents across southern Gaza, where daily life is defined by displacement, winter rains, and limited access to basic necessities.

Seven-year-old Taysir Abu Shahma, who lost his parents and several other family members, now lives with his grandfather in a makeshift tent. He said his wishes for the coming year are focused on survival and a return to normalcy.

Abu Shahma said he wants safety, electricity, and clean water. He also hopes for schools to reopen and for border crossings to be cleared so the war can end and his remaining family can find relief.

Dua Abdulaziz, who also lost her parents in an airstrike, said her greatest hope is to return to her original home and live in safety with her brother. She expressed a desire to continue her studies and move out of the displacement tents.

Her brother, Anas Abdulaziz, echoed those sentiments, stating that he wants the war to end so he can return home and find peace. He added that he wishes to read the Quran in memory of his parents.

Mahmoud Shahhat, who was displaced from Rafah to Khan Younis after losing his parents, said the pain of his loss is beyond description. For the new year, Shahhat hopes to visit his parents’ graves and live in a permanent structure again—even if only a caravan.

Across the camp, children continue to play between tents while families struggle with winter rain and ongoing displacement, as hopes for peace remain focused on the year ahead.

The Israeli army has killed more than 71,200 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,200 others since October 2023 in Gaza in a brutal assault that also left the enclave in ruins.

Despite a ceasefire that took effect in Gaza on Oct. 10, Israel still closes the territory’s crossings and prevents the entry of mobile homes and reconstruction materials, worsening the plight of nearly 2.4 million people in the enclave.