Rethinking What “Lifesaving” Means in Gaza
Humanitarian aid typically prioritizes foods, water, shelter, and injury care before other services. However, children in protracted crises like Gaza need more than biological survival for long-term wellbeing.
Therefore, mental health, child protection, and education must be core elements of immediate emergency response. For children, survival includes emotional regulation, healthy development, learning continuity, and social connection.
Furthermore, delayed psychosocial support allows early trauma to become harder to treat over time. Because displaced children are more vulnerable to harm and exploitation, protection services must be immediate, not deferred.
Likewise, education interruptions widen learning gaps and can hinder development permanently. Without this integrated support, trauma becomes chronic and educational delay deepens. Therefore, a narrow definition of lifesaving neglects key determinants of lifelong health and opportunity.
Changing Response Strategies for Immediate Impact
First, humanitarian funding must treat mental health, protection, and education as essential services in crises. Next, rapid deployment of specialists should occur alongside health and nutrition teams at crisis onset.
Moreover, flexible, multi-year funding commitments encourage sustained impact and program continuity. Similarly, empowering local organizations improves delivery and cultural relevance of services. Also, tracking these services independently ensures visibility and resource allocation.
In addition, governments should enable aid access by opening more border crossings and easing blockades. Most importantly, redefining lifesaving to include psychological and educational needs strengthens resilience across generations. Ultimately, survival must be holistic, addressing both immediate threats and long-term child development needs.
Source:
Shah, S. (2026, February 5). Redefining ‘lifesaving’: Prioritizing mental health, child protection, and education in Gaza. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/redefining-lifesaving-prioritizing-mental-health-child-protection-and-education-in-gaza/