Amal al-Abadla is a single mother going through challenges you cannot fathom as she raises her two young boys in a conflict-ridden Gaza. Amal’s house, we see, is in shambles, flattened to the ground. In the process, her husband became stuck in the West Bank, a life for many families torn apart by a crossfire brutal and indiscriminate. So did her son Mohammad, who joined on October 7, 2023. It was the day that conflict really intensified following Hamas’ initial attack. Amal, like many women in war zones, experienced horror and trauma during her pregnancy. At eight months pregnant, she was forced to have an emergency C-section with bombs dropping around her.
The blockade has increased her challenges, creating a perfect storm that leaves Amal unable to care for her newborn. She was unable to breastfeed Mohammad at first due to her fear and stress. Feeling like she had nowhere else to turn, she called upon a fellow mother for support. Finding baby formula was a challenge. Of course, Amal feels helpless and overwhelmed. Through her eyes, we are forced to reckon with the brutal truth of what it means to be a mother in Gaza today.
Displacement and Despair
Since the start of violence on October 7, Amal has been displaced seven times as Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza. Each move has chipped away at that armor, at her sense of instability and fear, all the way until now. The sound of cannon fire, explosions and the daily horror of life under siege have taken a deep toll on her children. Mohammad, who knows only the sounds of sirens and gunfire, exhibits signs of emotional distress, showing reluctance to laugh or play—a stark contrast to the innocence typically associated with childhood.
“Since the day Mohammad was born, he knows nothing but the sounds of bombings, the sound of the drones, the sound of the warplanes,” – Amal al-Abadla.
Amal’s other son, as well, wrestles with the trauma their environment has caused him. It means that children in Gaza are not only being harmed physically, but they are suffering deep psychological effects. According to mental health professionals, this generation will be suffering from the weight of what has happened for decades in the future.
“So it’s a very difficult situation that will impact their life and their psychological wellbeing for the rest of their lives, and it might pass from one generation to another,” – Samah Jabr.
The long-term stress and chronic instability, especially from recent escalations, has arguably fostered a culture of hopelessness within Gaza families. On return, Amal herself echoes the grim prediction of a local poet, conveying the hopelessness so many of the city’s citizens turned refugees must now feel.
A Glimmer of Hope
And even in the face of such overpowering hopelessness, Amal doesn’t give up her dreams for her children’s future. She doesn’t lose faith in her family’s determination and strength, and always clutches the hope that good days are in the future. That relentless optimism is, though, repeatedly challenged by the stark realities she encounters every day.
The long-term psychological impact on children such as Mohammad who are exposed to such violence is incalculable. According to the International Rescue Committee, children in Gaza are in urgent need of mental health support after experiencing violence and losing loved ones. Yet their childhood experiences couldn’t be more different than those of children outside the nation’s capital. This startling difference illuminates an incredible need for aid and intervention.
“Statistically, the sheer number of children as a percentage of the population that have been killed or wounded is huge, so Gaza’s different because of the level of indiscriminate attacks,” – James Elder.
As Amal al-Abadla moves through her new reality, she represents not just the pain but the strength shared by thousands of families here in Gaza. Her story serves to hauntingly inspire us of the destructive cost war takes on innocent bystanders and lives. At the same time, it is an indelible search for hope within the ruination.
The Impact of War on Innocence
Amal’s hurdles aren’t just her own. They’re symptomatic of a larger crisis impacting children throughout Gaza. Thousands of other families are experiencing these same tragedies as they deal with loss, grief and trauma while trying to figure out what happens next. The impacts of that brokenness are acutely felt by Amal’s community. Just as they grieve for their tangible losses, so too do they grieve for their broken dreams and ambitions.
“I feel upset and I always think about how much of Gaza has been destroyed, how much we lost in this war,” – Banias.
For all of Gaza — like Amal’s family — dreaming of a better future feels impossible as war persists. The toll of war extends far past the physical threat of violence. It permeates every facet of life and plants permanent seeds of trauma in mental health.
“There’s no future in Gaza, there’s no hope,” – Banias.
