GAZA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of orphaned children carried photographs of their lost parents and banners calling for peace during a march on Wednesday in southern Gaza, marking the second anniversary of the conflict in the strip with painful personal testimony and collective grief.

Under the slogan "We Are Not Numbers," children who lost one or both parents in the conflict gathered in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, to voice their longing for normalcy and security.

The event, organized by local orphan-support groups, highlighted the humanitarian crisis facing what Gaza-based social development authorities estimate to be about 50,000 children orphaned since October 2023.

Nine-year-old Yousef Abdul Hadi, who lost his father in 2024, said all he wants is to return to school and have his father back.

"I miss him every day, but I know he will never come back," he told Xinhua, clutching a small photograph of his father.

"Since my school was destroyed in the bombing, I haven't been able to study ... My father always wanted me to become a doctor and help people. I just want the war to stop so I can continue learning and make his dream come true," he said.

Nearby, 12-year-old Layan al-Salha, who lost both parents, held a handmade banner reading "We Want to Live in Peace."

"I don't remember the last time I felt safe," she said. "At night, I dream that my mother is still with me. She used to tell me that every child deserves a warm bed and a future."

Now living with her grandmother in a temporary shelter near Khan Younis, al-Salha said their tent "gets very cold at night, and when it rains, the water comes inside."

"I miss my room, my toys, and my school. I used to love drawing, but now I only draw clouds and broken houses," she said.

"I just want the war to stop so I can go home, see my friends again, and sleep without fear. I want to feel like a child, not someone who is always running from danger," she added.

Mohammed Salem, one of the organizers, told Xinhua that the march aimed to remind the world that "behind every number in the casualty reports, there is a human story."

"These children are not statistics," he said. "They are young souls who lost their families and live every day with fear and uncertainty. Their message is clear: stop the war and let them dream of a normal life."

Umm Nidal al-Najjar, a widow who joined the march, called the second anniversary "the beginning of endless loss and suffering."

"We came here with our children to show the world that our pain is still alive, and that we want to raise our children in peace, not under fire," she said.

Aziza al-Kahlout, spokesperson of the Gaza-based social development authorities, told Xinhua that many orphans "now live in overcrowded shelters and displacement camps, facing severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical care."

She warned that the number of orphans would continue to rise due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes and collapsing family structures.

Noting the profound psychological impact on these children, Rawan Ahmed, a psychologist working with displaced families, said, "Many suffer from recurring trauma, anxiety, and sleep disorders."

"Each explosion or loud noise triggers memories of the moments they lost their loved ones," she said, stressing an urgent need for psychological support and long-term care programs.

"Children don't only need food and safety. They need hope ... What we saw today was a cry to the world, a reminder that these children deserve a future free from fear," she said.

Gaza-based health authorities said Wednesday that the war, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, has resulted in 67,183 Palestinian deaths and 169,841 injuries. ■