RESTRICTION SUMMARY: Deir al-Balah, 12 Sebtember 2021. Palestinian students enjoy a circus performance, in Deir al-Balah in the center of Gaza Strip.

0.1 SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Majed Al-Muslimi, director of the Gaza Stars Circus School.

STORYLINE:

Members of Gaza stars circus school launched an initiative to entertain Palestinian children in marginalized and poor areas and children who were affected by the recent 11-days conflict between Israeli and Hamas.

Gaza stars circus school is the first school teach circus in Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Strip remains in ruins four months after a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Gaza militants ended eleven days of violence that claimed the lives of 255, including at least 67 children, the worst conflict since the 2014 war.

Gaza's children traumatised during recent 11-day conflict join generations taking years to heal.

Some of them are irritable, their parents say.

Some wet themselves at night, are afraid to be alone, suffer from night terrors — all signs of trauma, says Dr Yasser Abu Jamei, director-general of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program.

But there is only one licensed child psychiatrist for Gaza's 1 million children, who make up just under 48 per cent of the population, Abu Jamei says.

To recover, he says, children need to feel the traumatic event they've experienced is over and that life is returning to normal.


Footage by Ashraf Amra /APAwire