Articles and videos
Gaza Children: Innocence Lost
Producer and Director: Dr. Iman Farajallah
The purpose of this film was to explore and elevate voices to Gazan children who have survived the violence of war and who continue to suffer today, all while trying to understand and accept what happened to them. Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip do not live typical lives. They observe their family members, neighbors, and friends being killed. Observing the murder of a close family member as a result of the Israeli bombing creates anger and frustration in children. They tend to be more aggressive and angrier. These children suffer from depression, anxiety, and Complex Continuous Traumatic Stress Disorder (CTSD). Save the Children found that 95% of Palestinian children show symptoms of depression, hyperactivity, a preference for being alone, and aggression. They cannot even regularly attend school because of the bombing of school buildings and are prohibited from accessing essential school supplies. Even when they are able to go to school, their lives are extremely agonizing, with constant drones overhead preventing them from concentrating. Children become depressed when they return to school and the friends who used to sit right next to them have been killed or have lost a body part due to severe injury. To make matters worse, they are trapped with nowhere to go – daily reliving their trauma.
Latest article
Israel wants a traumatized Palestinian nation that cannot stand up for themselves: Psychologist
Israel’s oppressive and violent policies against Palestinians are by design and part of its ‘psychology of occupation,’ says clinical psychologist Dr. Iman Farajallah
In the shadow of trauma: Voices of Gaza’s children
Almost half of Gaza’s population is comprised of children. Here’s a glimpse at what some of them have endured over the past seven months of war.
Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip experience complex continuous trauma.
Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip experience complex continuous trauma (CCT), which refers to prolonged and repeated exposure to multiple traumatic events or experiences, often at the beginning of early childhood and continuing over an extended period of time. Unlike single traumatic incidents, CCT involves ongoing and cumulative stressors that can overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope and adapt.
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/the-invisible-wounds-of-palestinian-children
The unseen damage to Palestinian children by the Israeli occupation
A Palestinian American psychologist shares the stories of seven Palestinian children and the untold horrors they’ve experienced during the war on Gaza.
Abdulrahman Mhammad stands with his older brother Karam Muhammad. The boys’ father was recently killed by Israeli bombing (Photo courtesy of Hanan Farajallah).
In Gaza, Palestinian children are suffering the most out of everyone. Many are currently living in fear and panic, without protection, after their homes were bombed and destroyed.
https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/the-unseen-damage-to-palestinian-children-by-the-israeli-occupation-17268417
A call to action both to support the youngest victims of war and to prevent future trauma.
Children in Ukraine are at an elevated risk of chronic distress unless the international community intervenes quickly by demanding an immediate stop to the military assault by Russia.
Gaza's Children: Innocence Lost Producer and Director: Dr. Iman Farajallah
Living amid the relentless onslaught of Israeli forces in Gaza, Palestinian women endure a daily reality of sadness, trauma and fear.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/war-gaza-terrible-toll-women-mental-physical-health
Palestinians mourn the death of loved ones following Israeli bombardment on January 18, 2024, in Rafah in southern Gaza (AFP).
Gaza is not just my homeland where I was born and raised. Its significance extends far beyond geographical boundaries. Over 25 years ago, I left Palestine for California. I studied international relations at first, to find a solution to what had been happening in Palestine, and to put an end to the suffering of my people.
Gaza's Children: Innocence Lost Producer and Director: Dr. Iman Farajallah
The purpose of this film was to explore and elevate voices to Gazan children who have survived the violence of war and who continue to suffer today, all while trying to understand and accept what happened to them.
A call to action both to support the youngest victims of war and to prevent future trauma.
Children in Ukraine are at an elevated risk of chronic distress unless the international community intervenes quickly by demanding an immediate stop to the military assault by Russia.
Illuminate the voices of Palestinian children in Gaza longing for peace. Help us fund a film and book capturing their stories under Israeli occupation.