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The psychosocial well-being of Palestinian children is under significant strain, mainly due to the omnipresence of violence in their surroundings and the resulting pervasive feeling of danger in their lives. The majority of sampled children (93%) reported not feeling safe and exposed to attack. They fear not only for themselves but also for their family and friends. Almost half of the children (48%) have personally experienced violence owing to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict or have witnessed an incident of such violence befalling an immediate family member. Children in Gaza were generally more affected than children in the West Bank.

The stress suffered by Palestinian children is accentuated by the widespread feeling that parents can no longer fully meet their needs for care and protection. This feeling was shared by more than half of the children (52%), especially the somewhat older children in the sample (59%). Besides the financial and material limitations, and the lack of control over external events, the care Palestinian children receive from parents and teachers is further compromised by the fact that the caregivers themselves are stressed and frustrated, having therefore less emotional and mental energy to provide the necessary psychosocial support to their children.

A Psychological Assessment of Palestinian Children (July 2003)