UNICEF has stated that the trauma experienced by Palestinian children in Gaza due to Israel’s war will result in long-term challenges for future generations. Following a year of conflict, UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, warned that children in the region will face “post-generational challenges.”
“When you view Gaza through the eyes of a child, it truly resembles a hellscape,” Russell told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. She highlighted the devastating impact of family deaths, displacement, and ongoing shortages of food and clean water.
“They are deeply traumatized by what they are experiencing,” she said of the children. “Even if we manage to increase supplies, the trauma they endure will have lifelong effects, and potentially impact future generations as well.”
Russell emphasized that it remains “very dangerous” to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza. However, she noted that UNICEF has achieved a “success story” by vaccinating thousands of children against polio in the area.
Regarding the recent Israeli military actions in Lebanon, she remarked that “the speed and intensity are shocking,” complicating efforts to assist the nearly 1 million displaced individuals there. “I am confident we can meet their needs, but it requires tremendous effort on our part,” Russell added.
