How Israeli and Palestinian kids are coping 3 years after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks ignited the Middle East

Key Points:

• Three years after the Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, CBS News interviewed two teenagers—one Israeli and one Palestinian—living near the Gaza border to understand their experiences and coping mechanisms.
• Ron Shargian, 15, from southern Israel, described living in constant fear since witnessing the attack at age 12, including displacement and eventual return to his home, though the trauma and tension remain part of his daily life.
• On the Gaza side, 14-year-old Kazem Doghmash recounted the destruction of his home and school due to Israeli airstrikes, the ongoing difficulties despite a cease-fire, and his struggle to regain a sense of normalcy while holding onto hopes of becoming a doctor.
• Both teenagers expressed the lasting impact of the conflict on their lives, with Shargian grappling with distrust toward people across the border and Doghmash focusing on survival amid devastation, yet both still seek moments of normal childhood.
• The United Nations reports over 21,000 Palestinian children killed in Gaza since the conflict escalated in October 2023, alongside dozens of Israeli child casualties, highlighting the profound human toll on both sides.