In the besieged Gaza Strip, residents are not the only ones enduring difficult psychological conditions caused by Israel’s repeated bombings. Animals, including horses, are also suffering and manifesting post-traumatic stress symptoms. The Israeli siege imposed on Gaza for more than 13 years has prevented the entry of medicines intended for animal treatment of various disorders and diseases.

The bad psychological situation of animals in the Gaza Strip has caused many lionesses, for instance, to refuse to nurse their cubs. In June 2015, Nama’a Zoo in northern Gaza turned to a dog, a mother of eight puppies, to nurse the lion cub abandoned by his mother.

Commenting on the difficult psychological conditions of horses in particular, horse breeder Mohammed Abu Zaida told Al-Monitor, “Horses in Gaza have been living in a difficult nervous and psychological state since the end of the last Israeli war on the Gaza Strip in 2021. They are in urgent need of necessary health care, and must take sedatives that are very difficult to secure.”

Abu Zaida, who lost one of his purebred Arabian horses in the last war after it was hit by shrapnel from an Israeli missile, said, “Israel prevents the entry of veterinary medicines such as Rompun used to calm horses and treat their digestive disorders, as well as nutritional supplements such as Probios used to maintain the horses’ physical strength and activity. This has aggravated horses' psychological and physical conditions.”