Yoga classes aim to bring moments of peace to Gaza’s traumatised children
#Gaza #yoga #trauma #children #mental health #war #peace #normalcy
📌 Key Takeaways
- Palestinian teacher Hadeel al-Gharbawi offers yoga classes to traumatized children in Gaza
- The classes provide moments of calm and safety amid ongoing conflict
- Children in Gaza face significant mental health challenges due to war exposure
- Yoga combines with other activities to help children regain a sense of normalcy
📖 Full Retelling
In northern Gaza City, Palestinian teacher Hadeel al-Gharbawi has transformed a tent into a yoga space offering children moments of peace from war trauma on February 22, 2026, as part of efforts to help young Gazans cope with the ongoing conflict's psychological impact. The classes combine simple movements and breathing exercises to create moments of calm, safety, and joy for children who have experienced continuous cycles of violence. Al-Gharbawi, who initially worked with children through drawing and coloring, discovered yoga's therapeutic potential through online research and decided to learn the practice herself to share with her students. Children sit cross-legged on mats, some concentrating intently while others shyly observe their classmates, finding amusement in the unfamiliar exercises that temporarily transport them away from their harsh reality. The yoga sessions are part of broader recreational and educational programs designed to activate children's imaginations and provide psychosocial support in an environment where such services are desperately needed. According to participants, these activities allow children to forget, even briefly, the war, difficult living conditions, and constant fear, offering instead a sense of control and emotional release that is increasingly rare in their daily lives.
🏷️ Themes
Mental health, Conflict impact, Child welfare, Healing practices
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Original Source
News | Israel-Palestine conflict Yoga classes aim to bring moments of peace to Gaza’s traumatised children Recreational activities combined with yoga in Gaza help children recover a sense of normalcy despite war, teacher says. Listen to this article | 3 mins Video Duration 02 minutes 10 seconds 02:10 Gaza children learn yoga to heal from war trauma and find joy By Ibrahim al-Khalili Published On 22 Feb 2026 22 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media Share Save Gaza City – In northern Gaza, a Palestinian teacher has transformed a tent into a small space for yoga classes, offering children moments of peace from the hardships of daily life in the besieged enclave. The idea to bring the practice to Gaza City came from Hadeel al-Gharbawi, who has been working on finding ways to help children cope with trauma. Through simple movements and breathing, the class offers moments of calm, safety and joy. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Qatar pledges $1bn for Gaza peace mission list 2 of 3 In Gaza, Trump’s Board of Peace met with deep scepticism, little hope list 3 of 3 Who made the cut on Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ and what they want end of list Children sit cross-legged on a thick mat, eyes shut. Some concentrate, while others fight back shy smiles, sneaking sideways glances to see whether their classmates are following the teacher’s instructions, amused by the unfamiliar exercise. “I wanted to expand the activities I do with children beyond drawing and colouring. I searched online and discovered that yoga can help children recover from trauma,” al-Gharbawi told Al Jazeera. “Since yoga isn’t widely available here in Gaza, I decided to learn online and practice it with the children. Through yoga, they can release stress and cope with the difficult life around them.” Children in Gaza have been exposed to continuous cycles of violence and trauma, profoundly affecting their mental health , according to a report by the World Health Organization. The constant bomb...
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