One of Palestinian children suffering a great deal because of the war in Gaza. She lost her hair due to stress. Photo credit: NBC news
(The Post Script)- Children are among the estimated 1,9 million Palestinians forcefully displaced from their homes seeking refugee to the enclave’s southern Rafah region under Israeli military orders.
According to UNICEF, United Nations and Children’s agency it is reported that since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas nearly all of Gaza’s 1,2 million children needs psychological support especially those exposed to repeated traumatic events. The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, told the UN Security Council that “a generation has been traumatized.” “Children have been killed, starved and frozen to death,” He added that “some died before their first breath – perishing with their mothers in childbirth.”
The war between Israel and Hamas started on October 7,2023. More than 1,200 people who were believed to be civilians were killed and more than 250 people were kidnapped. The war reached a ceasefire deal in January this year beginning the process of rebuilding Gaza. Until Israel launched a fresh barrage of airstrikes early Tuesday, shattering the ceasefire and killing hundreds of Palestinians. According to a Doctor at Gaza city Hospital it’s a tragic scene and were “nothing close to anything I’ve experienced before” and that the majority of cases she had seen were children. The children in displaced home, the process of healing and stability remains out of reach.
Children like Sama Tubail, seven years old Anas Abu Eish and sister Doa and six years old Manal Jouda recalls the October 7,2023 like it happened yesterday leaving them with scars in their hearts and healing seeming impossible at the moment. Israeli psychologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania Edna Foa told CNN that there is hope for healing for the children of Gaza. But she believes that with the right treatment, Palestinian children can make a partial recovery. “They will never be the same as before the war, but they will recover in the sense that they could be functional,” she said. “They can be content most of the time, not be distressed, not being dysfunctional and go on with their life.”
Dr. Yasser Abu Jamei, director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP), explained to CNN that during Israel’s 15-month assault his staff had also suffered trauma which made it difficult for them to treat others. He said “Most of my staff are working from displaced places and only less than 10 of them are still in their homes,” “They still carry on and try to bring some hope and support to families (while) working in shelters.”
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