How a History of Trauma is Affecting the Children of Gaza

Researchers say the cumulative trauma of chronic ethnic-political violence has a profound and lasting impact on children’s mental health and development, affecting their functioning and outlook on the world as young adults. This is especially a concern for children in Gaza, who were already struggling with significant mental health issues well before this conflict. For years, numerous studies have documented unusually high rates of mental and behavioral health issues among Gaza’s youth, who make up nearly half of the population in the territory. Most of them have never known a life without the threat of violence and conflict.