Childhood Under Siege: Growing Up in Dheisheh Refugee Camp
In the narrow, congested alleys of Dheisheh refugee camp located in the occupied West Bank, a group of children debate eagerly about which encounter with Israeli soldiers should be shared first and who will tell the story.
Fourteen-year-old Yanal takes charge, leveraging his fluency in Arabic, English, and Spanish to narrate his experience in English.
The Harsh Realities of Daily Life in Dheisheh
“Life here is elaborate,” Yanal reflects. “When soldiers arrive, there’s nowhere safe to hide.” He often recalls a football match abruptly halted when troops stormed onto the field, leaving everyone trapped without an escape route.
Thirteen-year-old Mustafa Abu Aliyah shares a different memory: on his way to visit his grandfather’s house during an unexpected military raid. “We were caught right amid live gunfire and tear gas,” he recounts vividly.
Mustafa struggles to remember his very first encounter with soldiers because their presence has been constant since early childhood; however, he clearly remembers how frequently these invasions occur.
A Childhood Interrupted by Conflict
Diyar, Mustafa’s 12-year-old sister and an aspiring pianist before her last experience with military forces passing through their neighborhood, offers her outlook:
“Every time they come here there is tear gas; people get beaten; someone usually ends up hurt or worse.”
She contrasts this grim reality with images she has seen from other countries where children enjoy safety and freedom-luxuries denied even just beyond their doorstep.
A Dramatic Rise in Military Raids Across the West Bank
the number of incursions has surged sharply. In just the first nine months of 2025 alone, Israeli forces carried out nearly 7,500 raids throughout the occupied west Bank-averaging around 27 operations daily-a striking increase of roughly 37% compared to that same period in 2024.
The Profound Impact on Palestinian Children
This troubling trend aligns with broader reports documenting Israel’s treatment toward Palestinian youth as October 2023. Investigations reveal that over 20,000 Palestinian children have lost their lives, while more than 44,000 have been injured, primarily within gaza but also across other occupied territories.
- The findings expose systematic violence including mass arrests without legal representation or parental notification-practices tantamount to enforced disappearances for minors;
- Torture and sexual abuse;
- Purposeful attacks on schools-with over eighty-five educational institutions facing demolition orders or forced closures;
- An alarming rise in settler-related assaults targeting children;
- Lethal incidents such as a two-year-old girl fatally shot during a raid earlier this year.
Mental health Consequences: Trauma Beyond Physical Injuries
The psychological toll extends far beyond visible wounds. Specialists describe Palestinians living under occupation as enduring “ambient terror”-a continuous state where fear persists even when active raids are not occurring at every moment.
“The trauma isn’t caused by one event but by never knowing when another will happen,” explains Lemis Farraj-a psychologist working directly with affected children at Shorouq Center within Dheisheh camp. She stresses how mental health is inseparable from physical safety for these young individuals.”
This condition is identified as continuous traumatic stress (CTS), differing fundamentally from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as recovery remains impossible while threats are ongoing rather than isolated.
Diyar describes how life comes to a standstill whenever military forces enter their neighborhood: “Our plans stop; we stay locked inside.” meanwhile Mustafa admits repeated exposure dulls initial fear responses: “I’ve gotten used to seeing them-I don’t feel scared anymore.” Yet Farraj notes younger children still show signs like sudden startle reactions and regression into earlier developmental stages after each raid.
A Child’s Story Amid Generational Hardship
Younger residents like five-year-old Khour Hammad endure compounded trauma-not only due to frequent raids but also family separation caused by incarceration. Her father was detained mid-2023 while her mother was taken earlier this year during separate military operations.
Khour recalls waking up confused one night expecting her father only to find armed soldiers questioning her instead-a terrifying memory etched deeply despite her tender age:
“I felt like I was going to throw up.”
an Old photograph Sparks Brief Joy:
Khour brightens momentarily while showing an old family photo featuring both parents before imprisonment-their faces igniting bursts of cherished memories amidst uncertainty.
Cumulative Trauma Passed Through Generations
This cycle extends beyond individual experiences into collective history shaped by decades-long occupation described internationally as systemic oppression aimed at control rather than coexistence.
Lemis Farraj explains how trauma transmits intergenerationally-from survivors displaced during Nakba events following Israel’s establishment in 1948 down through current generations now five removed from those original refugees.
This inherited pain combines past dispossession alongside present-day realities affecting roughly one-quarter of West Bank Palestinians identified as refugees-and nearly seventy percent within Gaza itself-creating layers upon layers difficult for any child or community fully overcome without stability and support systems rarely available under current conditions.
navigating Hope Amidst Adversity
< p > For many young Palestinians like Khour , hope begins simply : reuniting families torn apart . Her heartfelt plea resonates clearly :< blockquote >< em >“I want everyone everywhere see my picture -and bring my mom and dad home.”
< p > Despite overwhelming challenges , stories such as hers underscore resilience amid relentless hardship , reminding us all why safeguarding childhood innocence must remain central even amidst conflict .
