Children of war: The lost generation in Palestine

Arab News

2 days ago

https://arab.news/pmhjd
For decades, the world has watched the Palestinian-Israeli conflict unfold via headlines, footage and diplomatic statements. But beneath the geopolitics and shifting battle lines lies a quieter, more devastating tragedy: a generation of Palestinian children growing up amid violence, trauma and deprivation. These are the children of war — a lost generation whose education, mental health and dreams for the future are being systematically shattered.
In Gaza, where Israeli military operations have left entire neighborhoods in ruins, children have been disproportionately affected. According to UNICEF and Save the Children, more than half of Gaza's population is under the age of 18. That means every airstrike, every siege and every blockade hits them the hardest — physically, emotionally and mentally. Thousands of children have been killed, maimed or left orphaned by Israeli operations since Oct. 7, 2023. Many more have witnessed the death of siblings, parents or friends. These are not just statistics — they are young lives permanently scarred.
Education, one of the most fundamental rights of every child, is among the first casualties in such a conflict. Schools in Gaza and the West Bank are often closed for long stretches due to bombardment or military operations. Some are turned into shelters. Others are directly targeted. Since October 2023, hundreds of schools have been damaged or destroyed, and thousands of children have been deprived of safe and consistent access to education. The result is a generation that is increasingly falling behind — not for lack of intelligence or will, but because their environment denies them the tools they need to grow.
Even when the fighting stops — temporarily — the trauma continues. Mental health professionals working in Palestine report staggering levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and night terrors among children. These are not isolated cases. They are symptoms of a deeply broken context, where childhood has been replaced by fear and resilience is forced, not nurtured. Children draw pictures of tanks and funerals. They play games that mimic escape from drone attacks. Their worldview is shaped by checkpoints, rubble and the haunting sound of air raids.
There are staggering levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and night terrors among children
Hani Hazaimeh
The long-term consequences of such sustained trauma are difficult to fully comprehend, but early signs are already emerging. Studies have shown that war-affected children are more likely to suffer from behavioral and developmental issues, poor academic performance and emotional withdrawal. The trauma does not just vanish when the guns fall silent — it lingers, passed on silently from one generation to the next.
Yet perhaps the most damning aspect of this tragedy is how invisible these children have become to the international community. The war in Gaza and the broader Palestinian territories is often discussed in terms of ceasefires, security and statehood — rarely in terms of its human toll, particularly on the young. The language of diplomacy too often sanitizes the brutal reality on the ground.
In global forums, the deaths of children are described as 'collateral damage,' and the destruction of schools is brushed aside as 'unfortunate consequences.' But behind these euphemisms are real human stories — of 10-year-olds who no longer speak, of toddlers who flinch at the sound of thunder, of teenagers who have never known a single day without the threat of war.
Perhaps the most damning aspect is how invisible these children have become to the international community
Hani Hazaimeh
There is, of course, no simple solution to the broader conflict. But there is a moral imperative — urgent and universal — to protect children. That means demanding accountability for attacks on schools and civilian infrastructure. It means providing funding for trauma counseling and mental health services in war zones. It means supporting organizations that rebuild classrooms, train teachers and offer safe spaces for learning. It means treating the right to a childhood not as a luxury, but as a cornerstone of any sustainable peace.
We must stop thinking of Palestinian children merely as victims of a political conflict. They are not footnotes to be skimmed over. They are the heart of the story — and if we allow their suffering to continue, we are complicit in the creation of a generation that has known only violence and despair.
In every war, there are casualties we can count and others we cannot. The lost innocence of children falls in the latter. Let us not wait for another headline, another outrage, another round of violence. The children of Palestine need more than sympathy. They need solidarity. They need protection. And, above all, they need hope — something far too many of them have been forced to live without.