Fadel Abu Heen, a psychologist, stated in an interview that children in Gaza are developing severe symptoms of trauma alongside the risk of death and injury.

“The psychological impact of the war on children was showing,” said Fadel Abu Heen, a psychologist on the Gaza strip.

Given the ongoing conflicts causing destruction of infrastructure, the separating families, and death of young men, it is no surprise that children are taking shock at the bombardment of violence and distress being thrown at them.

Children in the Gaza Strip are reported to be developing severe trauma due to the constant bombing.

After the murderous rampage on Israel on October 7th 2023, the Hamas militants are being bombarded in the Gaza strip which resulted in the deaths and injuries of 1700+ children.

However, the children in the Gaza strip aren’t only suffering physical injuries but psychological damage as well.

Fadel Abu Heen stated,“the children started to develop serious trauma symptoms such as convulsions, bed-wetting, fear, aggressive behavior, nervousness, and not leaving their parents’ sides.”

According to Fadel Abu Heen, “the lack of a general safe space has created a general sense of horror and fear among the entire population and children are most impacted.”

Fadel Abu Heen also states that the children that express their fears directly are to be more healthier than the ones that hide the fear and trauma within themselves.

Currently, around 2.3 million of the population are children in the Gaza strip and have been living in constant bombardment since October 7th. Many of these children are living in UN-run schools for shelter with little access to food and clean water.

Tahreer Tabash, a mother of six who is taking refuge at one of the UN-run schools said, “Our children suffer a lot at night. They cry all night, they pee themselves without meaning to.”

Not only are the population in the Gaza strip terrified, but the Israeli children are as well.

Israeli official Zachi Grossman reported an increase of anxiety and distress amongst the Israeli children since October 7th.

“We’re witnessing a tsunami of anxiety symptoms among children” and the issue was “not being adequately addressed,” Zachi Grossman told Ynet, an Israeli news outlet.

“Around 90% of children visiting pediatric hospitals complain of anxiety. Many are suffering from anxiety, and it’s certainly something we haven’t seen in the past. The recognition is beginning to dawn that this issue will be much more prolonged than before,” Grossman said.

In Gaza a child of the age 15 years old is to have gone through five periods of massive bombardments in their lifetime.

The five bombardments a 15 year old child

• 2008-2009: destroyed 46,000 homes in the Gaza strip leaving 100,000 people homeless.
• 2012: an attack called Operation Pillar of Defence was launched by Israel, which included air attacks and a ground operation.
• 2014: the combination of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli airstrikes resulted in over two thousand deaths.
• 2021: 4,300+ Palestinian rockets were fired towards Israel 90% of which were destroyed by Israel's Iron Dome. 680 rockets landed in the Gaza strip.
• 2023: The conflict Hamas launched in 2023 and is still going on to this day (2024.01.27)

Ethan Chung

Grade 10

BIS