24 February 2026<\/p>\n
Two years of intense bombardments and fighting have wrought catastrophic devastation across the Gaza Strip. The toll on children is unconscionable. Nearly one million of Gaza\u2019s children have been exposed to the traumatic experiences of war, the consequences of which will last a lifetime. Children have lost parents and other family members, their homes, their schools, their parks and playgrounds.<\/p>\n
UNICEF\u2019s vision for Gaza is a child- and youth-centred recovery that restores essential services, rebuilds resilient systems, and reimagines a future in which every child in the State of Palestine can learn, be safe, participate and thrive in a peaceful, inclusive society. The Gaza We Want initiative was created to hear directly from children in Gaza about their vision for the future. At a moment when recovery and reconstruction are being actively discussed, UNICEF believes that children\u2019s voices must be heard and meaningfully reflected in those conversations.<\/p>\n
The child-centred consultation in Gaza began with coordination and facilitator training for around 50 civil society community partners on trauma-sensitive, inclusive methods. Over 103 staff were trained to run the activities and collect data through surveys and creative activities for children aged 5 to 18, including those with disabilities, using approaches designed to be safe, inclusive and sensitive. The survey was initially intended to reach 500 children, but uptake among partners and children was far higher than anticipated, highlighting the clear desire among children to participate and share their hopes for the future of Gaza. In total, 1,600 children completed the online questionnaire, and analysis of the results form the basis of this report.<\/p>\n
Alongside the poll, children engaged extensively in complementary activities, resulting in the participation of about 11,000 children who expressed their visions for Gaza\u2019s future in creative ways. Children across the north, middle area and south of Gaza engaged with energy and imagination, using many forms \u2013 drawings, poems, stories, videos and other forms of creative expression \u2013 to describe the future they hope for.<\/p>\n
In every piece of art, a shared vision of Gaza emerges as a vibrant place, with streets that are clean and lined with trees. The sea is a source of joy, schools are places for both learning and play, and hospitals are spaces of care and safety. Children describe Gaza not simply as a place, but as a symbol of security, peace and freedom, where there are no sounds of shelling, no fear of tomorrow, and where laughter, colour and light fill every corner.<\/p>\n
Children show an extraordinary ability to transform pain into creative visions, to imagine rebuilding from the ashes, and to picture a future that honours their right to childhood, education and a dignified life.<\/p>\n
In their imagination, the Gaza of the future blends technology with tradition, and modern life with heritage, becoming a city that nurtures peace, plants hope, and restores to every child the right to play, laugh and thrive.<\/p>\n
Behind the figures and the creative outputs are powerful emotions, including profound loss, alongside a clear and consistent desire for dignity, a sense of normality, and hope for the future. Listening to children is not optional. It is essential for building a child-centred recovery that truly serves their needs and upholds their rights. For children in Gaza, whose lives have been shaped by extreme and sustained violence over the past two years, ensuring that their voices inform decisions about recovery is a critical foundation for any credible and child-centred future.<\/p>\n
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In the quiet calculus of survival, the children mapped their revival: first, a roof against the sky and a tent for learning; then sturdy walls for homes and schools, with a park just beyond their doors. Their vision stretches across the years – from clinics to cultural centres; from clean streets to universities \u2013 building not only a place to live, but a timeline for hope, whose final cornerstone is not a site of loss, but a space for peaceful remembrance<\/p>\n
Time horizon<\/strong><\/th>\n| Top priorities named by children<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n | 0 – 6 months<\/td>\n | Safe temporary housing; safe learning spaces; mobile health services; protected play areas; psychological first aid<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 6 – 18 months<\/td>\n | Permanent homes; proper school buildings; community health centres; public parks; child protection offices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 18 – 36 months<\/td>\n | Specialized health facilities; sports complexes; cultural and arts centres; environmental clean-up; transport links<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 3+ years<\/td>\n | Higher education and technical colleges; recreational facilities; new industries; international connections; memorial and healing spaces<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n | \n Recommendations for child-centred recovery<\/strong><\/h3>\nConclusion:<\/strong><\/h3>\n |
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