UN expert warns of mental health risks for Gaza citizens from war

A United Nations expert warned on Monday that there was a risk that mental illnesses could manifest themselves years from now among the people of Gaza due to the current conflict.

"Of course, we see the physical injury, and because it's physical, one can appreciate the severity of it," said Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN special rapporteur on the right to health.

"But acute mental distress that will then turn into anxiety and other kinds of mental illnesses later on in life is really, really important to start thinking intentionally about."

UNICEF said in February it estimated that 17,000 children in Gaza were unaccompanied or had been separated from their families during the conflict, and that nearly all children in the enclave were thought to require mental health support.


Reuters