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STORY: UN / GAZA UNFPA INTERVIEW
TRT: 08:29
SOURCE: UN NEWS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 18 MARCH 2026, EAST JERUSALEM, PALESTINE / FILE
FILE
1. Close up, United Nations flag
18 MARCH 2026, EAST JERUSALEM, PALESTINE
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sima Alami, Adolescent and Youth Programme Officer, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):
“Certainly, the deteriorating situation in Palestine, particularly in the West Bank and Gaza, especially after more than two years of continuous violence, displacement, and loss, has created a profound mental health emergency. We have more than one million children in Gaza who need mental health and psychosocial support services. Sadly, 96 percent of these children feel that death is imminent, reflecting the depth of the fear and trauma they experience daily. Among adolescents and young people, a group often overlooked in such humanitarian crises, 61 percent suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 38 percent from depression, and 41 percent from anxiety. Alarmingly, according to available statistics, one in five adults contemplates suicide almost daily. This is not merely a case of psychological distress; it is a widespread mental health emergency stemming from the ongoing violence, displacement, and deprivation across Palestine. Tragically, an entire generation is threatened with losing its future, as children and young people have lost the protection of family, and adolescents have been forced to mature prematurely. Among the most affected groups, girls are particularly vulnerable, also facing the risk of child marriage and early pregnancy. In Gaza, child marriage has resurged alarmingly, a major consequence of the deteriorating economic, social, and security situation. Before the war, child marriage in Palestine had been declining, dropping from 25.5 percent in 2009 to 11 percent in 2022. However, it is now on the rise again as families struggle to survive. A study conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Palestine revealed that 71 percent of respondents in Gaza reported increased pressure to marry girls under the age of 18. More than 400 marriage licenses for girls aged 14 to 16 were issued in emergency courts within a short period, figures that are likely an underestimate given that many marriages take place outside of official registration systems.”
FILE
3. Close up, United Nations flag
18 MARCH 2026, EAST JERUSALEM, PALESTINE
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sima Alami, Adolescent and Youth Programme Officer, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):
“The reasons for this are varied. Some families resort to marrying off their daughters as a survival strategy amidst displacement, poverty, and insecurity. Some believe that marriage offers protection for girls in overcrowded shelters, while others see it as a way to alleviate economic hardship after the collapse of food, shelter, and livelihoods. In 2025, it was observed that approximately 10 percent of newly registered pregnancies in Gaza were among adolescent girls, a high percentage compared to pre-war levels. The situation is exacerbated by malnutrition and a lack of healthcare, as only 15 percent of health facilities in Gaza are able to provide emergency obstetric and neonatal services, increasing the risk of complications. Child marriage also exposes girls to the risks of violence and psychological trauma. Some evidence suggests that 63 percent of girls married at a young age have experienced physical, psychological, or sexual violence. Reports also indicate a rise in divorce rates and widespread severe psychological distress among married minors, which in some cases has led to self-harm. More than 100 suicides or attempted suicides have been documented among survivors of violence, as child marriage is considered a form of gender-based violence. For these girls, the trauma of war, forced marriage, and early pregnancy constitutes immense psychological pressure. Despite the focus on Gaza, the humanitarian situation in the West Bank continues to deteriorate, with escalating violence, military operations, and settler attacks leading to increased displacement, particularly in Palestinian refugee camps. Restrictions on movement and the closure of checkpoints and roads have further complicated daily life, and many schools have been forced to close.”
FILE
5. Close up, United Nations flag
18 MARCH 2026, EAST JERUSALEM, PALESTINE
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sima Alami, Adolescent and Youth Programme Officer, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA):
“Increased exposure to violence, including violence perpetrated by the occupation, restrictions on movement, and checkpoint closures, leads to profound psychological trauma. These conditions also push some families to marry off their daughters, believing it will provide them with security, a practice rooted in harmful customs and beliefs. Growing economic pressures exacerbate humanitarian needs, negatively impacting mental health. Children and young people live in constant fear of raids, with movement restrictions and uncertainty about livelihoods and access to services. This creates a state of chronic stress and anxiety, and a persistent sense of insecurity, the effects of which can be long-lasting. Some young people are even considering leaving Palestine because of these difficult circumstances.”
FILE
7. Close up, United Nations flag
More than two years of unrelenting violence, displacement and loss have pushed children and young people in Palestine into what one UN official describes as a “profound mental health emergency,” with girls facing heightened risks, including a resurgence in child marriage.
Sima Alami, Adolescent and Youth Programme Officer at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), painted a stark picture defined by alarming statistics.
She told UN News there are “more than one million children in Gaza who need mental health and psychosocial support services.”
The scale of trauma is staggering. According to UNFPA data cited by Alami, 96 percent of children in Gaza feel that death is imminent. “This reflects the depth of fear and trauma they experience daily,” she stressed.
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 is not merely psychological distress,” Alami emphasized. “It is a widespread mental health emergency.”
Within this crisis, girls are among the most vulnerable. In Gaza, child marriage—previously on the decline—has resurged sharply. Rates had fallen from 25.5 percent 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 percent 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—figures 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.
The consequences are severe. In 2025, approximately 10 per cent of newly registered pregnancies in Gaza were among adolescent girls—a significant increase compared to pre-war levels.
At the same time, access to healthcare has dramatically shrunk. Only 15 percent 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.
Child marriage also exposes girls to violence. “Some evidence suggests that 63 percent of girls married at a young age have experienced physical, psychological or sexual violence,” 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.
While Gaza remains the epicentre of the crisis, conditions in the West Bank are also deteriorating. Escalating violence, military operations and settler attacks have driven displacement, particularly in refugee camps, while movement restrictions and checkpoint closures have disrupted daily life and forced many schools to shut.
Children and young people are living under constant stress. “They face fear of raids, restrictions on movement, and uncertainty about livelihoods and access to services,” Alami said. “This creates chronic anxiety and a persistent sense of insecurity.”
Such pressures can have long-term consequences, shaping behaviour and mental health well into adulthood. Some young people are even considering leaving Palestine altogether.
Amid these challenges, UNFPA has expanded support services. Over the past three years, the agency has reopened and supported more than 35 safe spaces for women and girls, providing case management and multi-sectoral responses to gender-based violence.
More than 120,000 dignity and hygiene kits have been distributed, and over 15 multi-purpose youth centres—11 dedicated to girls—are now operating across Palestine.
