NEW STUDY: GAZA’S CHILDREN FACE SEVERE PSYCHOLOGICAL TOLL AMID CATASTROPHIC WAR December 11, 2024
A new report out of Gaza lays bare the profound psychological impact of the ongoing war, particularly on children who are injured, disabled, separated from their families, or unaccompanied.
The study, Needs Assessment Study of Children with Disabilities, Injured and Separated or Unaccompanied, was conducted by the Community Training Centre for Crisis Management (CTCCM) with support from the War Child Alliance. It paints a harrowing picture of children’s mental health under Israeli bombardment and blockade.
“We met with injured, separated, and disabled children and their caregivers to hear from them about the toll of war on their lives. What they shared was devastating – but sadly, not surprising. This study reinforces what we have seen, heard and witnessed over more than a year. Children are traumatised by this war, and we must respond,” says a spokesperson and Project Technical Coordinator from CTCCM in Gaza.
The findings in this study are stark. Caregivers report that 96% of children feel death is imminent, and nearly half believe they will die because of the war. Many children exhibit symptoms of aggression, fear, withdrawal, and severe anxiety, alongside a pervasive sense of hopelessness. Years of displacement, loss, and relentless bombing have left children psychologically scarred and their families in dire circumstances.
The survey of 504 households reveals that 88% of families have been displaced multiple times, with 21% forced to move six or more times. Most families live on less than €122 a month, grappling with soaring prices for food and essentials due to the ongoing blockade and restrictions on humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, 80% of breadwinners are unemployed, reflecting the devastating economic consequences of the war.
“For children in Gaza, nowhere is safe. They have seen homes destroyed, loved ones killed, and schools turned to rubble. Even so-called evacuation zones are not spared from bombing. The mental health of Gaza’s children is under constant attack,” says Rob Williams, War Child Alliance CEO.
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