Peace without Resolution: The Child’s Perspective.
I am a child advocate based in Melbourne, Australia, and my life’s work has been dedicated to children’s rights and protecting the vulnerable. I was shocked and infuriated by the insensitivity of the statements made on the anniversary of the brutal attacks of October 7, 2023. At least one local child advocacy group called for an immediate ceasefire. The author chose to comment on the anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on Jewish life since the Holocaust, failing to provide any nuance regarding the context and Israel’s response.
While calls for an immediate ceasefire are often framed as efforts to stop violence and prevent further loss of life, they fail to consider the broader implications for children, hostages, families, and communities caught in the conflict. These calls are naive and reflect a lack of understanding of the concerted goals of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, whose aim is to eliminate Israel and its people, including future generations—its children.
I visited Israel in the aftermath of the October 7th attack, and I recall the overwhelming fear of walking down the street with my newborn grandchild. In those moments, I found myself wondering where we could run for safety and what kind of future awaited her in a world so shaken by violence. How could I protect her from the sudden uncertainty and fear engulfing the country? I also met with a friend’s five-year-old, comforting her through her sadness and confusion as she dealt with her father’s call up to the army. Together, we tried to navigate the instability of his absence but found it impossible to find words of comfort while dealing with our devastation. How could I or would I even begin to explain the horror of what had happened?
This personal experience of the October 7th attack caused me to pause, reflect, and try to understand its impact on Israeli children.
Hamas’ brutal attacks caused intentional death and destruction. Entire communities were thrust into chaos, homes were torn apart, and lives were shattered.
Children were raped, murdered, and forced to watch their parents being savagely killed. Others, including babies, were kidnapped, and some remain hostages. Every child in Israel has been robbed of their sense of safety and security, fundamental human rights that every child deserves. The barbarity and the loss of parents, siblings, family, and security have shattered the foundations of their lives and will leave them grappling with lifelong trauma.
When advocacy groups call for a ceasefire, do they think it will immediately ensure a safer future for children? Children in conflict zones, whether Israeli or Palestinian, should not just be protected at the moment; they need lasting solutions that secure their future, their right to a safe environment, and a sense of stability and hope. A ceasefire requires, at a minimum, a recognition of the need for peaceful coexistence and the acceptance of the principle that both sides have a right to exist and to live in peace.
While it can be argued that physical safety is an even greater concern for children than stability, a demand for a ceasefire primarily targets state actors. On the 7th October, Hamas burned children alive. There is no formal mechanism by which such a non state group (which by definition is not accountable to international human rights conventions) can be held accountable. Therefore, advocating for a ceasefire essentially urges Israel to halt its defensive measures, without taking into account the other side’s regard for the safety of Israeli children.
Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran have all rejected Israel’s right to exist. A temporary cessation of violence could be agreed upon, but lasting peace requires more than just the end of hostilities; it demands a fundamental shift in attitudes, recognition of mutual rights, and a willingness to negotiate and coexist.
In the context of children, the situation becomes even more tragic. The rhetoric and actions of groups that call for the destruction of Israel ultimately place children—on all sides—in harm’s way, perpetuating cycles of violence and trauma. Without a long-term resolution to the conflict and a commitment to the right of all children—Israeli and Palestinian alike—to grow up in peace, ceasefires merely prolong the cycle of trauma without offering any real hope for the future.
An additional consideration is Hamas’s complete disregard for the safety and well-being of Palestinian children. By hijacking places meant to protect them—such as schools and hospitals—Hamas has turned these sanctuaries into targets, exposing children to even more significant risks. The destruction of vital infrastructure, including food supplies and clean water, has further exacerbated the suffering of Palestinian children, who are already caught in the crossfire. The strategic militarisation of Palestinian children, driven by prolonged exposure to propaganda, disruption of their education and social conditions, and the normalization of violence, leads to lasting psychological impacts, undermining societal stability and peace efforts, potentially making future generations less willing to pursue reconciliation.
While a ceasefire might provide temporary respite from violence, it is insufficient for children unless it is part of a broader approach to lasting peace. The current situation calls for not only halting the violence but also addressing the systemic issues that endanger children’s futures. Real peace requires a commitment to protecting the rights of all children, ensuring their safety, and creating the conditions for a stable, peaceful future where violence is no longer a threat.
As we reflect on the tragedy of October 7th and its devastating impact on countless children, we are reminded that peace must be more than just a political goal—it should be a deep, universal desire to protect future generations from suffering. Children deserve more than just an end to the immediate violence. They deserve a future where they can grow up in safety. Their right to peace, to play, to dream, and to grow is non-negotiable. Yet, until the global community comes together with a shared vision of peace, these basic rights will continue to be denied to children living through this war.
It is time for the international community to prioritise the safety and well-being of children above all else. Political solutions must focus on protecting the most vulnerable. Governments, aid organisations, and global institutions need to work together to build systems that not only end the immediate violence but also address the root causes of this conflict—causes that disproportionately impact children. A secure future for children requires restoring access to essential services and helping displaced families rebuild their homes and lives.
Ultimately, we must ask ourselves: What kind of world do we want to build for our children? Do we want to leave behind a legacy of suffering, fear, and unresolved conflict, or do we want to create a future where peace, empathy, and cooperation reign? The choices we make today, the policies we advocate for, and how we engage with the issue of children in conflict will determine the world our children inherit.
Let this anniversary serve as a reminder that the pain of conflict doesn’t just affect the present; it devastates the future. Children are not mere bystanders to violence—they are its most innocent victims. Children, together with the broader community, both in Israel and globally, need time to grieve and mourn after such a year of devastation. It’s time to prioritise the children’s future.