NEW YORK, (PIC)
Tlaleng Mofokeng, the UN special rapporteur on the right to health, has described the Israeli war crimes taking place in the Gaza Strip as “psychological terrorism” and “part of a genocidal plan.”
After a year of Israeli attacks, the psychological toll on Gaza’s inhabitants, especially children, reached alarming levels, deepening existing challenges that an estimated half of the population was already going through before the events of October 7 last year, Mofokeng told Anadolu news agency on Monday.
The ongoing Israeli violence has created a cycle of anxiety and trauma in the besieged Strip, leaving young people particularly devastated, according to the UN official.
“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 psychological distress.
She highlighted that 50 percent of Gazans were already suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before Israel started its relentless attacks on Gaza on October 7, 2023. “We have to talk about it as a deliberate infliction of mental trauma,” she said.
“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.”
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 certificates, 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. What future are we talking about, what generation are we talking about if we can’t even stop the bombs right now today?” she questioned.
The special rapporteur described Israel’s 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.
She urged immediate international action and underscored the need for a ceasefire to facilitate any form of recovery in Gaza. “Without a ceasefire and reconstruction, the path to health service recovery remains uncertain.”
