A total of 6,000 people who have lost limbs in Gaza due to Israel’s genocide urgently need long-term rehabilitation, the Health Ministry has said, warning of severe and lasting humanitarian consequences for thousands of families.
In a statement marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday, the ministry said the situation of amputees in Gaza is “shocking,” with 25 percent of all amputation cases involving children who now face permanent disabilities at an early age.
Thousands of wounded civilians and their families are experiencing “deep humanitarian suffering,” underscoring the urgent need for sustained physical rehabilitation as well as psychological and social support services, the ministry added.
It called on relevant international organisations to prioritise amputees in Gaza and strengthen access to specialised care and rehabilitation programs.
In September, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said that Gaza has become home to the highest number of child amputees per capita worldwide since the start of Israel’s war.
Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed more than 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and wounded over 171,000 others in a brutal assault that also left the enclave in ruins.
A ceasefire deal between the Palestinian resistance organisation Hamas and Israel took effect on October 10.
