Experiences and consequences of living with ongoing conflict: Arab-Palestinian adolescents in Israel during the war that began on October 7.

Adolescence is a critical period of personal and social development, particularly for Arab-Palestinian adolescents in Israel, whose lives are shaped by persistent political conflict and marginalization, this period becomes particularly challenging. The war that began on October 7, 2023 intensified these challenges, exposing adolescents to increased violence, fear, and social instability. This qualitative study investigated the impact of the October 7 war on Arab-Palestinian adolescents in Israel based on six focus groups involving 34 participants aged 12-18. The findings reveal two central themes: first, the experience of living under ongoing war conditions, which sharpened the adolescents' awareness of their fragile and contested citizenship status; and second, the emotional, social, and educational consequences of being part of a marginalized national minority during a time of crisis. Participants reported heightened fear and insecurity, reduced academic performance, tensions within the Arab community, and increased hostility from the Jewish majority. These experiences are analyzed through the lens of persistent traumatic stress theory, offering insight into the compounded impact of political violence on minority adolescents. By foregrounding the voices of Arab-Palestinian youth, this study contributed to trauma literature in conflict zones by highlighting the lived experiences of a marginalized minority within the conflict state itself. It extends the theory of persistent trauma to this unique context and offers practical recommendations for culturally and politically sensitive interventions that address the compounded effects of exclusion, identity threat, and political violence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).