Gaza children experiencing psychological mutism due to trauma

Child psychotherapist Katrin Glatz Brubakk, working with Doctors Without Borders, has reported that thousands of children in Gaza are experiencing physical and psychological mutism. This phenomenon, described as a forced aphasia, is a response to the extreme trauma caused by continuous bombings, deliberate hunger, and structural neglect.

Medical teams have observed that while many children retain their biological phonetic functions, they have retreated into absolute silence. This psychological collapse is viewed as a defensive mechanism against the overwhelming destruction and the loss of a safe environment, effectively dismantling the mental architecture of the younger generation.