A VR therapy programme in Gaza is helping war-traumatised children recover more quickly by transporting them into peaceful virtual worlds designed for psychological healing.
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| A VR therapy initiative in Gaza shows promising results in helping traumatised children heal faster by immersing them in peaceful, restorative virtual environments. Image: CH |
AL-ZAWAYDA, Gaza Strip — December 2, 2025:
Inside a simple white tent in Al-Zawayda, far from the noise and devastation of Gaza’s conflict, a small group of children step into worlds unimaginable in their daily lives. Wearing blue TechMed Gaza virtual-reality headsets, they roam freely through serene gardens, quiet beaches, and gentle cityscapes—landscapes untouched by destruction. These virtual scenes represent more than escapism; they are the centrepiece of an emerging therapy model designed to help young survivors cope with profound psychological trauma.
For the children, many of whom carry injuries or disabilities from the war, the VR experience offers a rare moment of joy. Some reach out instinctively to touch animals or foliage they see inside the goggles. A boy in a wheelchair marvels at birds floating above him. Fifteen-year-old Salah Abu Rukab, who suffered a head injury during the war, describes the virtual setting as “nothing but trees, grass and flowers.” These moments of wonder stand in stark contrast to the harsh reality surrounding them.
Mental health supervisor Abdalla Abu Shamale explains that the VR programme is carefully crafted, with therapeutic and developmental goals embedded directly into the digital environments. Programmers design scenarios that help children rebuild emotional stability, regain confidence and re-establish a sense of safety—elements that are nearly impossible to foster in a conflict-ravaged environment. The initiative, he says, has demonstrated its effectiveness over a year of work with children who have endured amputations, severe injuries and extreme trauma.
In Gaza, where psychosocial services remain scarce and a fragile ceasefire has only partially eased conditions, the scale of need is overwhelming. According to UNICEF, roughly one million children—essentially every child in the Gaza Strip—requires mental-health and psychosocial support after two years of unrelenting conflict. The World Health Organization notes that conflict-related injuries often carry deep psychological scars, compounding survivors’ daily struggle with loss and instability.
The VR sessions aim to counter these pressures by providing a structured path toward recovery. Operators say the therapy helps rebuild children’s positive perception of the world and strengthens their ability to manage trauma. Abu Shamale notes that progress appears significantly faster than in traditional therapy settings. While regular counselling might take ten to twelve sessions, he says VR techniques can reduce the timeline to five to seven sessions, allowing children to stabilise more quickly.
The initiative offers a glimpse of how technology—often associated with entertainment or consumer markets—can take on urgent humanitarian roles in conflict zones. In Gaza’s shattered landscape, VR is not a luxury but a vital tool helping children reclaim moments of peace, agency and emotional refuge. Whether the approach can be expanded or sustained amid ongoing instability remains uncertain, but for the young participants, each session provides a rare and necessary reminder that a world beyond war still exists.