Genocide Victim Gazans Arriving in Turkey: A Qualitative Study on Their Trauma, Religious Coping Experiences and Future Prospects

This study explores the traumatic experiences, religious coping strategies and future prospects of Palestinian individuals affected by Israeli attacks on Gaza started in October 2023. A qualitative methodology was used and semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight war-affected participants from Gaza. In this research, purposive sampling was used to select participants who were directly affected by Israeli occupation in Gaza and had personally experienced war-related trauma. This research explores the psychological consequences of such traumatic experiences and the role of religion in serving as a coping mechanism. In the analysis of the data set obtained in the study, the themes of "Scars of War" and "Connecting to Life with Faith" were reached. The "Scars of War" theme includes the codes "Deep Wounds" and "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder". In the theme of "Connecting to Life with Faith", there are the codes of "Leaning on and Trusting God", "Trial" and "Looking to the Future with Hope/Not Looking to the Future with Hope". Participants reported severe psychological distress, exhibiting symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including intense fear, sadness, and hopelessness. Subjects' experiences included bereavement, injury, devastation, and exposure to constant threats. Despite the obvious challenges faced by the subjects, religious beliefs and practices emerged as important coping mechanisms. Perspectives on the future varied. Some participants had a positive outlook, expressing a strong belief in the imminent recovery of Gaza and the possibility of being reunited with their relatives. Others expressed feelings of uncertainty and hopelessness shaped by ongoing trauma and instability. The findings emphasize the dual impact of trauma and faith in the aftermath of war. It is clear that religious coping strategies have been identified as important sources of resilience. Furthermore, future expectations, particularly belief in a hopeful future, have been shown to have a significant impact on the healing process.