Two Stories of Silent Suffering: The Psychological Toll of War in Gaza

In the heart of war-torn Gaza, stories of pain and resilience are endless. Recently,

my close friend—a psychiatrist working on the ground—

shared with me two heartbreaking cases that reflect the unseen psychological devastation caused by the ongoing conflict.

These are not just isolated tragedies; they are vivid testimonies of a community living in unbearable fear, hopelessness, and loss.

The first story is about a young man, 23 years old—the eldest son, the pride of his family.

Despite the harsh economic situation, he built a modest life for himself, working on a street stall to support his parents and siblings.

His strength and perseverance gave his family a sense of dignity in a world falling apart.

However, during a brutal airstrike, a piece of shrapnel struck his back, severing his spinal cord.

In an instant, he was paralyzed from the waist down, losing all control over his bladder and bowels.

What followed was even more tragic. His father, overwhelmed by despair and poverty,

was torn between caring for his disabled son and the crushing burden of survival.

He confided to the psychiatrist that he once prayed every day for his son’s success and happiness.

Now, with tears in his eyes, he confessed that he prays for his son’s death,

believing it would finally bring peace to the young man who had lost everything.

In a land shattered by bombs and despair, love itself has been twisted by relentless suffering.

the second case

Transitioning from this story of unimaginable loss, the second case reveals a different yet equally haunting tragedy.

Samar, a 32-year-old single woman, once lived under the protective wing of her mother, who was her greatest supporter.

After her mother’s death during the chaos of the war, Samar’s life descended into cruelty and abuse.

Living now in a tent with her brother and his wife, she endures daily violence.

Her brother, once her protector, has become her tormentor—beating her mercilessly, isolating her, and treating her like a servant.

In one particularly brutal assault, Samar nearly lost her eye from the constant beatings.

To survive, she secretly attends therapy sessions without her brother’s knowledge, finding fragile hope in hidden moments of support.

Accusations swirl around her as her brother and sister-in-law falsely claim she stole her late mother’s jewelry, not knowing that it was lost when their family home was destroyed in a bombing raid.

Both of these stories underline the cruel reality that the war in Gaza does not only kill with bullets and bombs—

it kills dreams, dignity, and hope.

physical wounds are terrible

The physical wounds are terrible, but the emotional wounds are far deeper, often invisible to the outside world.

The psychological devastation caused by the war is profound. It leaves survivors trapped in cycles of grief, fear, and violence.

These young people—full of potential—have become prisoners of trauma, abandoned in a world that continues to burn around them.

Their pain reminds us that beyond the images of destruction, there are souls crying for help.

The people of Gaza are fighting silent battles every single day, and unless we begin to address the psychological scars,

the true cost of this war will continue to grow, unseen and unbearable.

Two Stories of Silent Suffering: The Psychological Toll of War in Gaza