Deteriorating Mental Well-being: Gaza's Children Experience Escalating Challenges

14-06-2023

Talita Dielemans

Middle East and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), there has been an increase in the levels of mental disorders amongst the population of the Gaza Strip, especially among children. [1] Around 800,000 children in Gaza have grown up without ever experiencing life free from the suffocating blockade, while having endured six life-threatening situations. [2] In 2018, the NGO Save the Children undertook a comprehensive study to assess the effects of the enduring blockade, prolonged instability, and recurrent violence on the psychological and social well-being of children in Gaza. The research revealed a distressing panorama; since 2018, the mental and emotional welfare of children, adolescents, and their caregivers has plummeted to deeply concerning levels. [3] These findings should serve as an alarm, as they highlight the tragic toll of the conflict and occupation, resulting in the loss of children's lives, well-being, and aspirations for a brighter future, at an immeasurable cost. 

According to the report, caregivers expressed sadness over the behavioural changes observed in children, with 79% noting a surge in bedwetting incidents. [4] Additionally, a staggering 78% reported that their children rarely completed tasks, while approximately 59% indicated a rise in difficulties related to speech, language, and communication among the children. [5] This study also found a huge increase in children who reported feeling fearful and depressed, and more than half of Gaza’s children have contemplated suicide and three out of five have self-harmed. [6] The dire situation in Gaza demands immediate action to safeguard the well-being and future of its children. No place is safe across the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government must lift the blockade, while local authorities, the international community, and donors must join forces to engage in the swift enhancement of child protection and mental health support services, ensuring sufficient aid for the children impacted by these circumstances. [7] These steps are essential to address the alarming increase in mental disorders and the profound impact of the occupation and conflict on children's lives, denying them their basic rights to health, education, and a life free from fear. It is high time to prioritise the welfare of Gaza's children and ensure they have the support they desperately need for a brighter and more hopeful future.

Sources and further reading:

[1] United Nations, ‘One third of Gaza Strip population in need of psychological and social support’ (4 September 2022) <https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1125712> accessed 12 June 2023.

[2] Al Jazeera, ‘80% of Gaza children suffer depression after 15 years of blockade’ (15 June 2022) <https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/15/15-years-of-blockade-80-of-gaza-children-suffer-depression> accessed 12 June 2023.

[3] Save the Children, ‘After 15 years of blockade four out of five children in Gaza say they are living with depression, grief and fear’ (15 June 2022) <https://www.savethechildren.net/news/after-15-years-blockade-four-out-five-children-gaza-say-they-are-living-depression-grief-and> accessed 11 June 2023.

[4] Ibid, p. 5.

[5] Ibid, p. 19.

[6] Ibid, p. 24.

[7] Middle East Eye, ‘Gaza children’s mental health goes from bad to worse’ (13 June 2023) <https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-israel-palestine-children-mental-health-bad-worse> accessed 13 June 2023.

The full-text of the report can be found at: https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/gaza_blockade_mental_health_palestinian_children_2022.pdf/