‘Silent suffering’: Why children in Gaza are losing their ability to speak
Al Jazeera·3h ago·Neutral
What Happened
Children across Gaza are experiencing sudden loss of speech following war-related injuries and psychological trauma. Medical specialists report rising cases of speech loss, including selective mutism and functional voice loss linked to extreme distress. Some children suffer physical damage from blast trauma or head injuries, while others show no visible wounds but lose speech from repeated violence exposure. Doctors at Gaza City's Hamad Hospital confirm increasing cases among young patients.
Key Entities
GazaChildrenSpeech lossPsychological traumaHamad HospitalDr. Musa al-KhortiSelective mutismWar injuries