صحيفة نبض الشعب الاسبوعيه رئيس التحرير جعفر الخابوري

Written by: Dr. Samah Jabr
In the context of the ongoing aggression on Gaza, a new psychological phenomenon is emerging, represented by the deprivation of thousands of children from their childhood and the assumption of adult roles after the loss of their fathers and mothers. The ongoing aggression on Gaza has left tens of thousands of children who have lost one or both parents, and nearly a million displaced children, forcing them to abandon play and study and pushing them to engage in responsibilities beyond their age. In this harsh environment, these children turn into "little breadwinners" in a desperate attempt to fill the void left by the absence of adults. However, the enormous psychological burden these roles carry may leave deep wounds in their souls that will last their entire lives.
Scenes from the painful reality in Gaza
In the streets of Gaza, the features of this daily tragedy appear clearly; we see a child no more than ten years old working to transport sacks of flour weighing 25 kilograms on his small shoulders, in return for earning a few shekels to feed himself and his siblings after the martyrdom of his father and the loss of his mother. We see another twelve-year-old carrying his infant brother on his back constantly, taking care of him after his mother was martyred. We also see a ten-year-old girl walking long distances every day to fetch heavy gallons of water, and another carrying her sister who is unable to walk and who is closer in age on her shoulder in search of a safe place. Another child comforts his widowed, bereaved and wounded mother who cannot turn to him, to support her and comfort her. These examples are not individual cases; rather, they are daily images that reflect the bleak reality suffered by hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza, who have been deprived of their childhood and their natural dependence on their parents under the weight of the genocide that has left no family without harm and loss.
Psychological Dimensions of Children Taking on the Roles of Their Parents
The roles imposed on children in the shadow of war lead to complex and difficult-to-recover psychological consequences; the pressure these children are exposed to is a severe and continuous type of psychological stress that exceeds the child’s physical and psychological ability to adapt. This type of stress affects the proper development of the brain and its normal emotional connections. Children who live under this stress lose the ability to focus and learn, and show a tendency to social withdrawal, which weakens their psychological and cognitive development.
Although giving children some responsibilities appropriate to their age and abilities may improve their self-confidence and contribute to their development, children performing roles beyond their age deprives them of the opportunity to build their psychological and social identity in a healthy way. Instead of exploring themselves through education and play, they find themselves stuck in living responsibilities that are not appropriate for their abilities. These children later suffer from difficulty in defining themselves away from the roles of breadwinner and caregiver imposed on them by the war.
Another psychological aspect of this suffering is the suppression of emotions and chronic feelings of guilt, as children are forced to suppress their feelings so as not to appear weak in front of their siblings, which increases their sense of responsibility and increases the psychological burden on them. These children feel guilty whenever they are unable to meet the needs of their families, and this feeling may lead to anxiety disorders and depression in the future. Children are also exposed to what is known as the “normalization of suffering,” where violence and suffering become a normal part of their daily lives. This normalization makes children unable to recognize a normal childhood life, which exacerbates their psychological suffering and increases their exposure to risks disproportionate to their age. For example, we heard a child say (children don’t grow up in Gaza) in response to the question: What will you do when you grow up?

Moreover, children who play the role of caregivers within their families have difficulty building healthy relationships in the future. For them, the concepts of love and care are associated with bearing heavy burdens, which makes them either over-give or avoid engaging in emotional relationships for fear of falling into the trap of responsibility again.

Difficulties of psychological intervention under bombardment
In light of this painful reality, psychological intervention becomes an urgent necessity, but implementing it in an environment exposed to bombardment and siege is extremely difficult. Psychological support cannot be provided effectively under continuous bombardment, as children are deprived of a safe environment that allows them to absorb and recover from trauma. Power and internet outages and the massive destruction of infrastructure also hamper the ability to provide effective assistance from outside the Strip.

Even when there is an opportunity to provide psychotherapy sessions, therapists find it difficult to achieve sustainable progress due to the ongoing state of fear, hunger, displacement and instability. A child cannot recover from the trauma of losing his parents while he remains at risk of death or displacement at any moment. Despite the importance of psychotherapy programs, they need to be integrated with community and international efforts that provide protection for children and restore their lost sense of security.

Means of intervention and psychosocial support

To alleviate the suffering of these children, comprehensive support must be provided to restore their normal role and psychological and social balance. In addition to psychotherapy, alleviating the burden on children requires providing direct financial assistance to affected families and encouraging community members to take care of these children, to prevent children from being forced to work at an early age. The local community must also be involved in providing care and guardianship for these children. Community members can be trained to provide psychological support to children, in addition to establishing community centers that provide children with sports and artistic activities that help them express themselves. Safe learning environments must also be provided to reintegrate children into schools and compensate for the educational loss caused by the war. These efforts must be complemented by international campaigns to pressure to end the genocide and ensure humanitarian access to Gaza.
The “strength” shown by Gaza’s children in bearing the burdens is not always a source of pride, but rather a cry for help that reflects the depth of their suffering
Weekly Facts Disclosure Magazine Editor-in-Chief Jaafar Al-Khabouri