GAZA, (PIC)
With the onset of summer, the suffering of thousands of Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip is renewed, not only due to the difficult economic and humanitarian conditions, but also as a result of the significant boredom experienced by children amid an almost complete absence of recreational places and safe spaces that enable them to play and spend useful time away from the pressures of daily life.
Families now find themselves facing a real dilemma with the end of the school year, as there are no qualified public parks or suitable recreational facilities available, while the difficult economic conditions and the high cost of living stand as an obstacle to any alternative options that could alleviate the suffering of the children.
Free time and no recreation
Um Khalid, a mother of four children from al-Nuseirat refugee camp, confirms that what worries and pains her most during the summer vacation is her inability to provide any recreation for her children.
She says in an exclusive interview with the PIC correspondent, “The children wake up in the morning and find nothing to do, there are no places to play and no regular activities, and even a simple outing has come to require expenses that we cannot afford, I feel frustrated every day as I see their long hours wasted inside the house or around the camp.”
She believes that the reality of their children, which has turned into standing in water queues and searching for food in charity kitchens, must not continue, emphasizing that children have the right to live their childhood in peace.
As for Abu Imad, a father of five children, he points out that children now spend most of their time between tents or crowded houses, which negatively reflects on their psychological health and behavior.
He says, in an exclusive interview with the PIC correspondent, “The child needs movement, play, friends, and open spaces, but the current reality deprives our children of their most basic rights, we notice their increasing tension, boredom, and nervousness, and we do not have real solutions.”
Even the sea is out of reach
Although the Gaza beach represents the only natural recreational spot for many families before and after the war, reaching it is no longer an available option for everyone.
Um Salim, who lives in al-Maghazi camp east of the Central Governorate, explains that the mere thought of a simple family trip to the sea has become financially exhausting.
She says, in an exclusive interview with the PIC correspondent, “The cost of transportation alone poses a major burden on the family, especially if the number of children is large, sometimes the children ask to go to the sea, but we are forced to refuse due to financial circumstances and the lack of safe and comfortable means of transportation.”
The father, Samer, shares her opinion, confirming that a large percentage of families live in difficult economic conditions that make prioritizing the securing of basic needs essential.
He says, in an exclusive interview with the PIC correspondent, “When the family income is barely enough for food and necessary needs, any recreational trip becomes a luxury that cannot be thought of, the children are the ones paying the highest price.”
Accumulated burdens and frightening UN data
Social specialists warn that the continuation of unexploited free time among children for long periods, especially in an environment suffering from continuous crises, may lead to worsening psychological and behavioral pressures for them, and increase feelings of anxiety, isolation, and loss of motivation to learn and socially integrate.
They emphasize that children need organized programs, activities, and safe spaces to play and interact, considering them an essential part of their right to proper development and psychological support.
Recent UN data indicates that childhood in the Gaza Strip is becoming more difficult. The “Gaza Child-Centered Assessment” published by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, in May 2026 showed that young children lack the safe and stimulating environments necessary for their growth, while older children face prolonged interruption from education and a decline in opportunities for social and psychological growth and development.
UNICEF confirmed that the majority of Gaza children continue to live with the effects of repeated displacement and deprivation of basic services, while the need persists to provide educational and safe spaces that help children recover and restore part of their normal lives.
In another report, UNICEF explained that about 800,000 children in the Gaza Strip continue to live in harsh displacement conditions, and that “Return to Learning” programs and safe spaces remain among the most prominent humanitarian needs for children.
For its part, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, reported that it provided hundreds of thousands of psychosocial support sessions for children and displaced persons during the past period, in an indication of the scale of the increasing psychological needs among children who live in exceptional and ongoing circumstances.
Between the difficulty of the living conditions and the absence of recreational alternatives, the children of Gaza stand before a new summer that lacks the simplest elements of normal childhood, while appeals from parents and community institutions continue to provide programs and safe spaces that grant children the opportunity to play, learn, and restore part of their lost childhood.