The UN Special Rapporteur for human rights, Tlaleng Mofokeng, has condemned the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, labelling them “psychological terrorism” and indicative of a genocidal plan.
Mofokeng emphasised that Israel’s ongoing war against Gaza has severely impacted the mental health of Palestinian residents. She also expressed serious concern over the deteriorating access to healthcare and treatment services in the region, stating that the ongoing violence has compounded the psychological toll on the population.
“The amount of anxiety and the exposure to trauma, as well as the level of anticipation of violence, is very abnormal,” she said.
She also highlighted that 50 per cent of Gazans were already suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before the relentless violence they have been experiencing since 7 October 2023.
“We have to talk about it as a deliberate infliction of mental trauma,” she added. “The psychological impacts, manifesting as anxiety, nightmares, depression, and memory loss, are compounded by the absence of adequate mental health resources.”
“There is an entire generation of children in Gaza who died or barely survived even before they received their birth certificates.” Those who survive, she noted, suffer from enduring mental health challenges from constant violence, fear and loss, which she said will hinder their ability to function as adults.
“We have already failed the generation of Gaza,” she said. “What future are we talking about, what generation are we talking about if we can’t even stop the bombs right now today?”
She criticised the UN for conducting discussions in New York during the Summit for the Future while failing to halt the ongoing bombardment in “the world’s largest open-air prison”, which is facing a genocide. The special rapporteur highlighted the destruction of homes and healthcare facilities, along with restricted access to essential services, as part of a strategy aimed at keeping Gaza’s population in a state of constant fear and uncertainty, further worsening the mental health crisis.
“It’s psychological terror, and it’s part of their genocidal plan,” Mofokeng stated. Emphasising the urgency for immediate action, she called for a ceasefire to enable any form of recovery. Without a ceasefire and the necessary reconstruction efforts, she warned that the path to restoring health services remains uncertain.
Israel has killed more than 41,900 Palestinians in Gaza since 7 October last year and displaced 90 per cent of the enclave’s population. The apartheid state faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its actions in Gaza.
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