The play therapist helping Gaza’s children laugh again

MOUSA’S STORY

My name is Mousa and I work with children with disabilities at the Princess Basma satellite unit in Gaza City. Many of our patients are children who’ve received life-changing injuries because of the war.

These last years have been so very hard for us. Our children in Gaza have seen and heard things no child should ever have to. Some are too frightened to speak. Others have lost the ability to play. At our centre, as a team of therapists, doctors and social workers, we focus on the emotional wellbeing of our children and their families as well as their injuries and physical wellbeing.

Each day, we welcome them into our space which we have tried to fill with colour, toys, music and hope. Through play therapy, I help them find their voice again. We laugh together, tell stories, and sometimes we cry.  Slowly, hope begins to return.

Play therapy has proven to be a powerful tool in Gaza’s current situation. For children exposed to fear, displacement, and trauma, play offers a safe outlet for expression and healing. It restores a sense of control, fosters resilience, and nurtures hope in both children and their families. Parents often speak of their joy at seeing their children laugh, play, and make progress despite the hardships around them.

In Gaza, where challenges are immense, this work represents a beacon of resilience, showing how hope and healing can be created even in the most difficult of times.