15/08/2025
Open Letter from Psychoanalysts Regarding the Humanitarian Crisis in GazaWe, the undersigned psychoanalysts, write with urgency and deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, and the growing threat of broader regional and global escalation.The relentless bombardment, profound grief, suffocating siege, starvation, and the systematic destruction of healthcare infrastructure have created a multidimensional emergency in Gaza—one that is both physical and psychological.The deliberate deprivation of essential resources—water, food, shelter, healthcare, and education—inflicts particularly severe harm on children and adolescents. They are enduring acute trauma at critical stages of their physical, emotional, and psychological development.The psychological impact of this trauma will be deep, far-reaching, and enduring. Its echoes will reverberate through families, communities and generations, leaving lasting scars on the collective mental health of the population—not only among Palestinians, but also among Israelis and among all who witness such overwhelming devastation. The environmental destruction—soil degradation, water contamination, and habitat loss—further undermines the prospects for healing, reconstruction, and sustaining life in all its diversity.As psychoanalysts, we are deeply aware of the long-lasting effects of prolonged violence and deprivation on the human psyche. We cannot—and must not—remain silent.The devastation fuelled by unrelenting cycles of fear, retaliation, and despair fosters a paranoid mindset—a form of primitive psychological functioning in both internal and external relations—that threatens to obstruct the emergence of a healthy, tolerant and resilient generation for decades to come.Such a toxic mental state stands in stark contrast to the values that guide our work: the ethics of listening and caring—toward oneself and toward others; the importance of acknowledging and containing emotions without succumbing to destructive aggression; the capacity to acknowledge conflict while remaining committed to dialogue; and an unwavering respect for physical and psychological integrity—on both individual and collective levels—essential to fostering mental growth and enhancing human connection.We unequivocally condemn all acts of violence targeting civilian populations—including acts of terrorism, discrimination, forced displacement, starvation, and every form of physical and psychological harm—regardless of where they occur or who commits them. We therefore join the growing call by the peoples of the world, civil society organizations, and countless voices of conscience from around the globe—including from within Israel—in urging the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728 (March 2024), which calls for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages.We likewise urge all governments and international actors to make every effort to prevent a deadly escalation and to foster the conditions for a just and lasting peace among nations.We stand in solidarity with all those—Palestinian, Jewish, Israelis and international—who are committed to the defence of human dignity, human rights, environmental integrity, and the principles of international law. If you would like to sign this petition, please send an email to: openletter.team@gmail.com simply including your first name, surname, and country.
