The latest round of violence in the Gaza Strip was a stark reminder of the unbearable living conditions of
the Gaza Strip’s civilian population. Fifteen years of violence, blockade, poverty, and shortage in water and
electricity have created a pernicious state of distress and hopelessness among Gaza’s 2 million residents. A recent
report by Save the Children found that four out of five children in the Gaza Strip say they live with depression,
grief and fear.
To learn more about the mental health situation in Gaza, we spoke with Gaza-based experts, Dr. Yasser Abu
Jamei and Dr. Suad Lubbad. We discussed the impact of the harsh conditions in Gaza on its residents, and
particularly on children.
Suad Lubbad is Project Officer at the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) in the Gaza Strip. The projects she leads mainly handle early childhood development, child health, nutrition, education, protection and hygiene. She holds a PhD in human development.
Yasser Abu Jamei is the director general of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, a leading mental health services provider, and the cofounder of the Palestine Global Mental Health Network. His recent focus is an approach that integrates public health and human rights into mental health in the Gazan context.
View the video recording HERE.
Listen to the audio on our podcast HERE.
Read the transcript HERE.