Sima Alami, Adolescent and Youth Program Officer at the United Nations Agency for Sexual and Reproductive Health, UNFPApainted a stark picture defined by worrying statistics.
“We have over a million children in Gaza who need mental health and psychosocial support services,” he said. united nations news.
The scale of the trauma is staggering.
96% of children in Gaza feel that death is near
According to UNFPA figures cited by Ms. Alami, 96 percent of children in Gaza feel that death is imminent. “It reflects the depth of fear and trauma they experience every day,” he stressed.
Among adolescents and youth, who are often overlooked in humanitarian crises, the psychological impact is equally severe. About 61 percent suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 38 percent from depression and 41 percent from anxiety. “What is worrying is that one in five adults thinks about suicide almost daily,” he said.
“This is not just a psychological crisis,” Ms Alami stressed. “This is a widespread mental health emergency.”
Girls are more at risk
Girls are most vulnerable in this crisis. Child marriage in Gaza, which was previously declining, has rapidly increased again. Rates fell from 25.5 percent in 2009 to 11 percent in 2022, but are now rising again as families struggle to survive.
A recent UNFPA study found that 71 percent of respondents in Gaza reported increased pressure to marry girls under the age of 18. In just one short monitoring period, more than 400 marriage licenses were issued to girls aged 14 to 16 in emergency courts, but the figures are likely to be lower.
“Some families see marriage as a survival strategy amid displacement, poverty and insecurity,” Ms Alami said. Others believe it provides protection in overcrowded shelters or helps alleviate economic hardship following the collapse of livelihoods.
Child marriage makes girls victims of violence
The consequences are serious. In 2025, approximately 10 percent of newly registered pregnancies in Gaza were among teenage girls, representing a significant increase compared to pre-war levels.
Additionally, access to health care has decreased dramatically. Only 15 percent of health facilities in Gaza are currently able to provide emergency obstetric and neonatal services, increasing the risk of complications for young mothers and their babies.
Girls also have to face violence due to child marriage.
“Some evidence suggests that 63 percent of girls who marry at an early age have experienced physical, psychological or sexual violence,” Ms Alami said. Reports indicate rising divorce rates and widespread serious psychological distress among married minors.
In the most extreme cases, the consequences are life threatening. “More than 100 cases of suicide or attempted suicide have been recorded among survivors of violence,” she said, underscoring that child marriage is a form of gender-based violence.
© UNICEF/Iyad Al Baba
Children who are not getting enough food go to a nutrition clinic in Deir al-Balah in Gaza.
Persistent sense of insecurity in the West Bank
While Gaza remains the epicenter of the crisis, the situation in the West Bank is also worsening. Increasing violence, military operations and settler attacks have driven displacement, particularly in refugee camps, while movement restrictions and checkpoint closures have disrupted daily life and forced the closure of many schools.
Children and youth are living under constant stress.
“They face fear of raids, restrictions on movement and uncertainty about livelihoods and access to services,” Ms Alami said. “This creates chronic anxiety and a persistent feeling of insecurity.”
Such pressures can have long-term consequences, affecting behavior and mental health into adulthood. Some youth are even considering leaving Palestine.
© UNFPA/Social Development Forum
To provide a safe environment where girls can seek immediate and long-term help from gender-based violence, UNFPA supports safe spaces, youth centers and girls’ tents throughout Gaza.
Safe spaces provide a lifeline
Amid these challenges, UNFPA has expanded support services. Over the past three years, the agency has reopened and supported more than 35 safe spaces for women and girls, provided case management and multi-sectorial responses to gender-based violence.
More than 120,000 dignity and hygiene kits have been distributed, and across Palestine, more than 15 multi-purpose youth centers are operating, 11 of which are dedicated to girls.
“These spaces provide psychosocial support, education and life skills while fostering community engagement and a sense of belonging,” Ms Alami said. He said youth are not just beneficiaries but also “active participants” in designing and implementing the initiative.
© UNFPA/Social Development Forum
A volunteer from the Samajik Vikas Manch conducts the Girls Tent Initiative session.
Services include group sessions, psychological first aid, individual counseling and a digital helpline known as youth windowProviding free remote support to marginalized youth.
Yet the challenges remain immense. Displacement, limited resources and harsh conditions continue to hinder operations, particularly in Gaza, where some safe havens operate in tents exposed to extreme weather.
“Many families prioritize survival over mental health,” Ms. Alami said, highlighting the need for integrated responses that link psychosocial support with food, health and education services.
