Dr. Drew Pinsky says children swept up in the war between Israel and Hamas are going to be dealing with the fallout for the rest of their lives, because it could very well rewire their brains.
The famous doc joined us for Thursday's "TMZ Live" to discuss the youngest hostages Hamas released this week to Israel. Although they seem okay, outwardly, Dr. Drew says, there's potential for tremendous internal damage involving the development of their brains.
As the trauma builds, Dr. Drew says most kids will start to shut down and dissociate ... and many will have their brains shattered and rewired, creating lasting psychological harm.
And, he adds this painful prognosis doesn't only apply to the hostages ... Drew says the ongoing conflict can have the same impact on children living in Gaza, surrounded by death and destruction.
Add in the fact some of these kids are coming off another traumatic experience during COVID shutdowns, and Dr. Drew explains why it's a toxic mix for youth.
He also warns the media attention the released hostages are getting can be problematic. While there's a natural desire to celebrate the young survivors ... he told us how having cameras and mics in their faces could make recovery more difficult for them.