The Suffering of Children and the Pride of Men

Since the end of January, cities in the northern West Bank- specifically Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas- have been experiencing continuous Israeli aggression. There are martyrs, injuries, destruction and explosions, displacement of tens of thousands, and an unknown destiny that persists to this moment.

Amidst its presence on the ground, providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) on one hand, and providing relief aid to the displaced and besieged families on the other. PRCS is also working to address the psychological impacts of the ongoing aggression in the northern West Bank.

The Mental Health coordinator of the PRCS in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, Yousef Abu Farha, explained that the department began its work by implementing community-based psychological support programs. Initially, they worked with school students and their care-givers through psychosocial support programs. Over time, their work expanded to provide more services for people of all ages. Additionally, they integrated their efforts with other departments, including the Community work, Rehabilitation, EMS, Disaster management as well as volunteers.

Volunteer Training:

Abu Farha, pointed out that their current focus is on training volunteers in Psychological First Aid to reach as many citizens as possible and as quickly as possible, even during times of closures. This approach ensures that the local community is able to provide these essential services on its own, similar to medical first approach

He added that their work is carried out in two ways: First, by providing direct services to citizens through psychological first aid, as a response for the continuous Israeli aggression and the society’s focused psychosocial programs, targeting children, teenagers and adolescents. Secondly, conducting large-scale training for community members in psychological first aid, focusing on strengthening their resilience.

 Psychological First Aid:

Regarding their work amid the ongoing Israeli invasions into various areas, Abu Farha highlighted that the situation has compelled them to focus on providing psychological first aid to displaced citizens. Their approach involves helping individuals restore their psychological calm and stability while creating a sense of balance and agency. He emphasized that the PRCS teams, including both staff and volunteers, have been in a state of full emergency mobilization to reach all displaced citizens, collaborating closely with the psychological support teams in Tulkarm and Jenin.

Abu Farha added that their work also involves coordination with relevant entities, both within and outside the Red Crescent to ensure that citizens receive necessary services, facilitate access, and connect them to further support.

The Largest Invasion:

Abu Farha explained that the impact of this Israeli invasion was more severe on citizens than previous ones, because providing psychological first aid to people receiving it for the first time requires new techniques, even if the effects do not last long, and their impact takes a longer time to subside.

He pointed out that due to repeated invasions and the ongoing crisis, it is difficult to provide citizens with a sense of security and hope for the future. He noted that their work focuses on strengthening citizens' resilience through methods that were implemented before the invasions, which helped mitigate their effects on both citizens and children.

Abu Farha said, "Providing psychological first aid in groups has yielded optimal results, as citizens have started to support one another and share experiences and knowledge." He emphasized that they faced challenges due to the recurrence of events, especially since they are still ongoing.

Children’s Needs:

Abu Farha added that working with children should be tailored to their age group, where you cannot address children in the same way as adults. He also emphasized the need in some cases to train adults on how to interact with children during crisis and psychological distress. 

Working though the “WhatsApp” Application:

He stated that many citizens have developed their skills as a result of repeated sessions, gaining experience that enabled them to contribute to their community. For example, volunteer Alaa from Al-Jabriyat neighborhood in the Jenin refugee camp,  conducted psychological first aid sessions for women during the invasion through a WhatsApp group, when she could not reach them to help them face to face . These sessions focused on strengthening their patience, guiding them in managing their children, and making productive use of their free time. Her role was truly remarkable!

Abu Farha emphasized that working with men is more difficult than working with women because there is a sense of stubbornness and pride when it comes to pain and injury. However, during this crisis, many men have shown signs of breakdown due to pressure, which was evident on their faces and in their behavior and could not be hidden as it was in the past.

He mentioned that they worked with them on how to manage their feeling and talk about the crises with their families and children, and how they could draw strength from their families. They need to remember that most of them are victims of the occupation, and they have to understand and support their families as they are seen as the main figures who hold their families together, even though the burden is not easy.

Abu Farha emphasized that in such circumstances a person loses emotional control and psychological balance, and they need someone in the early moments to help restore their emotional regulation and balance in a logical way, rather than through reactions that could harm themselves or their children. He also pointed out that they have become more aware of the importance of mental health, and during this crisis, they have been requesting psychological relief sessions for both their children and themselves.

He concluded his statement by saying that volunteer teams are working effectively with commitment and enthusiasm to provide the service to the community, which has encouraged many girls to volunteer in the Mental Health and psychosocial department. He also mentioned that after the invasion ends, they will train another team of volunteers in Jenin to be able to deliver psychological first aid services in emergency and to provide focused PSS activities to help strengthening community resilience.