ISRAEL – GAZA
WHAT ARE THEY FIGHTING FOR?
First News is trusted, impartial news for kids aged 7 to 14. On this page, you can read and watch age-appropriate reports and guidance about the conflict. We will be updating content every week.
Nicky Cox MBE, Editor in chief: First News
Our thoughts are with the people affected by the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Tragically, young people on both sides are being caught up in the conflict. There are strong feelings and we always aim to be balanced and impartial in our coverage. We hope that the adults, who are in positions of power, make a choice to lay down weapons, and let words sort things out instead.
I have always loved this quote from Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher (someone who thinks deeply and offers views on big questions). He said:
“It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organise the peace.”
I hope a time will come soon when world leaders work harder at peace than war.
Tips & Talking Points
Explaining Scary News
News stories can be scary to children, our editor Nicky Cox has some useful tips for explaining difficult news stories.
Is the news worrying you?
If you are being affected by the news from the Middle East, speak to a trusted adult. Or you can contact Childline online anytime at childline.org.uk or on 0800 1111.
Engaging With News
Why it’s so important to encourage children to learn about the world around them.
‘‘I think the most important thing you can do as an adult is to point children to trusted sources of information and don't leave it to chance. At First News we give a balanced and truthful account of what is going on without the sensationalisation. It's important to know other news is still going on, and the world is still going round.’’
Nicky Cox
BBC 5 Live, 30th October 2023