After a year of Israeli attacks, the psychological toll on Gaza's inhabitants, especially children, has reached alarming levels, deepening existing challenges that an estimated half of the population was already going through before Oct. 7 last year.
The ongoing violence has created a cycle of anxiety and trauma in the besieged strip, leaving young people particularly devastated.
Tlaleng Mofokeng, the UN special rapporteur on the right to health, spoke to Anadolu about the mental health crisis in Gaza. "The amount of anxiety and the exposure to trauma, as well as the level of anticipation of violence, is very abnormal," Mofokeng said, emphasizing the persistent threat of violence as a major contributor to the psychological distress.
She highlighted that 50% of Gazans were already suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before the relentless violence they experienced since Oct. 7, 2023. "We have to talk about it as a deliberate infliction of mental trauma," she added. The psychological impacts, manifesting as anxiety, nightmares, depression, and memory loss, are compounded by the absence of adequate mental health resources.
Yet, some scars remain invisible, Mofokeng pointed out, as many suffer in silence, with distress escalating into PTSD, eventually leading to complex mental health issues. These only intensify for children who have lost their entire family. She further noted that the lack of proper mourning and dignified funerals is "very detrimental," robbing families and communities of the chance to heal and opening wounds that may take a lifetime to mend.
The absence of healthcare and therapy has exacerbated the situation. "The situation is much worse," she stressed.
Mofokeng voiced deep concern for the future of Gaza's youth. "The future generations of Gazans are already irreparably damaged and forever changed." She spoke of an "entire generation of children in Gaza now who are either dead before they even have their birth certificate, or they are barely alive."
Those who survive face enduring mental health challenges from constant violence, fear, and loss, which she said will hinder their ability to function as adults.
"We have already failed the generation of Gaza," she said and continued: "What future are we talking about, what generation are we talking about if we can't even stop the bombs right now today?" She criticized the UN for holding discussions in New York under the Summit for the Future while failing to stop the ongoing bombardment in what she described as "the world's largest open-air prison" as it underwent genocide.
The special rapporteur described the destruction of homes and healthcare facilities, as well as the restricted access to essential services, as part of a strategy designed to keep Gaza's population in a state of constant fear and uncertainty, exacerbating the mental health crisis.
"It's psychological terror, and it's part of their (Israel) genocidal plan," Mofokeng said. Urging immediate action, she underscored the need for a cease-fire to facilitate any form of recovery. Without a cease-fire and reconstruction, she noted, the path to health service recovery remains uncertain.
Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) echoed Mofokeng's warning, telling Anadolu that the conflict has worsened pre-existing mental health conditions in Gaza.
She said the past "year of destruction and conflict has escalated what were pre-existing psychological conditions for many, but it's also created new mental health challenges for the population."
WHO estimates from 2020 indicate that nearly 200,000 adults in Gaza were already struggling with moderate-to-severe mental health disorders, while over 300,000 children also faced such issues at varying levels. With the ongoing violence, those numbers have soared, and Harris warned of disruptions in treatment for nearly half a million people.
"Suicide rates have increased in Gaza," she stressed, noting that young men aged 18 to 30 make up 75% of these cases. "Suicide is one way in which you understand the severity of mental health disorders and needs," she added.
Harris said the entire population of Gaza is experiencing stress levels likely to result in widespread mental health disorders. "It's fair to say that the entire population is under the kind of mental stress that will lead to mental health disorders," she said. "Basically, everybody in Gaza is suffering and has a need for mental health care."
"Uncertainty is one of the greatest psychological stresses," she added.
The destruction of Gaza's only psychiatric hospital in an Israeli airstrike has further exacerbated the crisis, leaving patients without critical care. "All the patients were just discharged," Harris said.
With only six community mental health centers still operating under extreme conditions, healthcare workers are providing limited psychological first aid. "It's like stopping the hemorrhage caused by the stress, suffering, and grief," Harris noted, stressing the urgent need for specialized services and medicines.
However, many healthcare professionals are grappling with their own trauma, having lost family members or witnessed extreme violence. "The frontline staff are suffering, are facing tremendous mental health challenges themselves due to the conflict," Harris said, adding that despite their best efforts, these professionals are deeply affected by the same kind of stress they are trying to ease in their patients.
The number of mental health professionals in Gaza remains uncertain due to ongoing conflict, displacement, and casualties. "We don't know who is working, who's not working, who's alive, who's dead," Harris said.
Harris acknowledged the efforts of WHO and its partners, but called them mere "band-aids" given the scale of the crisis. "We cannot provide what's needed until we get a full cease-fire," she said. While short-term interventions, such as psychological first aid and medication, are crucial, she stressed that true recovery will only begin when the violence stops.
"We need a cease-fire," Harris urged, calling for international experts to help Gaza recover once the bombs stop. She offered a glimmer of hope in the form of an emergency medical team focused on mental health, now working on the ground in Gaza. "It shows that the international world is recognizing that mental health is as important — in this instance, probably more important than physical health."
"And it needs to be addressed now, not later, when everything else is done," she underlined.
