Gaza City: Israel’s ongoing war has led to a ‘pandemic of disabilities’ in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the highest number of child amputees worldwide, as reported by the head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) on Tuesday. The conflict has severely impacted the region’s population, particularly children, creating a dire need for medical and rehabilitation services.
According to Anadolu Agency, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini highlighted the escalating crisis in a recent statement. He noted that before the war, one in five families surveyed in Gaza had at least one member with disabilities, with nearly half of these families including a child with disabilities. The war has exacerbated these conditions, leaving those requiring special care suffering in silence, their stories largely untold.
Lazzarini further emphasized the severe health impact of the conflict, describing it as an ‘epidemic of traumatic injuries’ amid a complete lack of rehabilitation services. He revealed that Gaza
now has the highest number of child amputees per capita globally, with many children losing limbs and undergoing surgeries without anesthesia.
The World Health Organization estimates that one in four individuals injured during the conflict sustained life-changing injuries, necessitating rehabilitation services for amputations and spinal cord injuries, as stated by the UNRWA chief. The humanitarian crisis has been compounded by Israel’s military actions following a Hamas attack in October last year, resulting in over 44,500 Palestinian deaths and more than 105,000 injuries, predominantly affecting women and children.
The second year of the conflict has sparked widespread international condemnation. Accusations of using starvation tactics and obstructing humanitarian aid deliveries have been denounced as deliberate attempts to annihilate the population. In response to these actions, the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Further, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) due to its actions in Gaza, leading to increasing international disapproval. The situation remains critical as the global community calls for accountability and an end to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.