A tragedy has been unfolding in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank since October 7. Over 1,400 Israelis and 6,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to their respective government representatives. About 200 Israeli civilians are being held hostage by Hamas militants. These numbers include some of the family and friends of staff at The 19th. 

Entire families have been wiped out in the violence, both in the initial attack against Israel and in the repeated airstrikes and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. There has been a fog of misinformation and confusion as false reports and violent images have proliferated on social media. 

Escalating tension has also resulted in violence at home in the United States. According to the FBI, threats against Jews and Muslims have risen in the days since. On October 14, a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy named Wadea Al-Fayoume was stabbed to death in his Illinois home by his landlord. The landlord may have been motivated by extreme right-wing talk radio conspiracy theories. 

At The 19th, we understand that many of you, our readers, are parents. Some of you may also have family and friends who have been impacted, or are members of communities that have been impacted. What is happening in the world right now is difficult to explain, even to adults. It is even more difficult to explain to children. 

That’s why we want to hear from you. We think your stories matter. Please fill out the form below if you are interested in sharing — your stories could help inform and inspire future reporting from The 19th. 

• What are you struggling most to explain? 
• How are you protecting your children from graphic imagery online? 
• Are you worried about your children’s safety? 
• What are the biggest challenges you are facing right now as parents? 
• What are you the most worried about right now? 
• How is your community stepping up to help?
• Is your local school or place of worship taking extra steps to keep kids safe?