Image Credit: WAFA
Palestinian children who fled Gaza's war for refuge in Egypt are plagued by traumatic war memories, requiring urgent psychosocial support. Save The Children reports an overwhelming demand for mental health assistance, highlighting the urgent need for a ceasefire to address the mental health crisis affecting over one million children
Save The Children, a humanitarian organization reveals the harrowing plight of Palestinian children seeking refuge in Egypt after escaping the conflict in Gaza. Over 500 Palestinian refugees have approached the organization seeking psychosocial and mental health support, with 90% of the requests about children traumatized by the Israeli incursion.
Parents express deep concern over their children's persistent fear of loud noises, inability to sleep alone, and withdrawal from emotional expression. The trauma from the war manifests in various ways, with children displaying heightened sensitivity to every day sounds like fireworks. Mr. Waleed, a refugee father, shares how his children tremble in fear at the sound of fireworks, once symbols of celebration now triggers of distress. Similarly, Heba, a mother of three, recounts her son Rami's transformation from a brave superhero to a fearful child unable to cope with the trauma.
Save The Children's psychosocial support technical advisor in Egypt, Laila Toema, emphasizes the urgent need for a ceasefire to address the mental health crisis affecting approximately one million children in Gaza and beyond.
The organization's plea for immediate action underscores the critical importance of providing mental health services to children scarred by conflict and displacement.
