A frightened mother and children in Gaza.

TRAUMA IN GAZA:

Over 40 years of Israeli military occupation have had a devastating effect on Gaza; airstrikes, artillery shelling, ground invasions, jet flybys and their sonic booms have all led to an epidemic of suffering among Gaza’s most vulnerable inhabitants.

Dr. Evan Kanter, UW school of medicine professor and the current president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, cited studies that revealed 62 % of Gaza’s inhabitants reported having a family member injured or killed, 67% saw injured or dead strangers and 83% had witnessed shootings.

In a study of high school aged children from southern refugee camps in Rafah and Kahn Younis, 69% of the children showed symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), 40% showed signs of moderate or severe depression, and a whopping 95% exhibited severe anxiety…

HUNGER IN GAZA:

The U.N. reports that four out of five Gazans are dependent on international aid for food. The three-year Israeli blockade of Gaza has resulted in desperate shortages of food, medical supplies and fuel. Malnutrition is common, especially among children.

The amount of aid allowed through by Israel is vastly insufficient to meet the need of the people. The United Nations has continuously stated that only a fraction of the required aid is entering Gaza due to what it calls ‘the medieval siege’.

We are looking at an entire nation of people slowly being strangled and starved to death before the eyes of the world.