96% of children in Gaza feel death is imminent: UN
More than two years of genocide have pushed children and young people in Palestine into what one UN official describes as a “profound mental health emergency”, with the UNFPA data reporting that 96 per cent of children in Gaza feel that death is imminent.
Sima Alami, adolescent and youth programme officer at the UN agency for sexual and reproductive health, UNFPA, painted a stark picture defined by alarming statistics.
Among adolescents and youth, often overlooked in humanitarian crises, the psychological toll is equally severe. Some 61 per cent suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 38 per cent from depression and 41 per cent from anxiety.
“Alarmingly, one in five adults contemplates suicide almost daily,” she added. “This reflects the depth of fear and trauma they experience daily”.
Within this crisis, girls are among the most vulnerable. In Gaza, child marriage, which was previously on the decline, has resurged sharply. Rates had fallen from 25.5 per cent in 2009 to 11 per cent in 2022, but are now rising again as families struggle to survive.
A recent UNFPA study found that 71 per cent of respondents in Gaza reported increased pressure to marry girls under 18. In a short monitoring period alone, more than 400 marriage licences were issued for girls aged 14 to 16 in emergency courts, but the figures are likely underreported.
“Some families see marriage as a survival strategy amid displacement, poverty and insecurity,” Alami explained. Others believe it offers protection in overcrowded shelters or helps ease economic hardship following the collapse of livelihoods.
In 2025, approximately 10 per cent of newly registered pregnancies in Gaza were among adolescent girls, marking a significant increase compared to pre-war levels.
At the same time, access to healthcare has dramatically shrunk. Only 15 per cent of health facilities in Gaza are currently able to provide emergency obstetric and neonatal services, increasing the risk of complications for young mothers and their babies.
“Some evidence suggests that 63 per cent of girls married at a young age have experienced physical, psychological or sexual violence,” Ms. Alami said. Reports indicate rising divorce rates and widespread severe psychological distress among married minors.
In the most extreme cases, the consequences are life-threatening. “More than 100 suicides or attempted suicides have been documented among survivors of violence,” she noted, underscoring that child marriage is a form of gender-based violence.
