Home / War and Conflict / Gaza Amputees: Limbs Lost, Dreams Deferred
Gaza Amputees: Limbs Lost, Dreams Deferred
13 Dec
Summary
- Thousands of Palestinians face amputations due to war; many are children.
- Shortages of prosthetic limbs and delays in medical evacuations hinder recovery.
- A recent WHO shipment offers hope, but a large backlog remains.
Thousands of Palestinians have endured life-altering amputations due to recent bombardments, with a staggering 25% of these cases involving children. Haneen al-Mabhouh, who lost her leg and all four daughters in an airstrike, faces immense challenges, including the need for treatment unavailable in Gaza and a 10-month wait for medical evacuation. Her story highlights the grim reality for many survivors.
The ongoing conflict has severely impacted access to essential medical care. There is a critical shortage of prosthetic limbs and materials for their creation, with only one significant shipment arriving recently after two years. This scarcity, coupled with significant delays in medical evacuations—only a marginal increase has been observed since the recent ceasefire—leaves thousands like Yassin Marouf and Mohamed al-Naggar in desperate situations.
Despite a recent ceasefire, the backlog of 16,500 patients awaiting medical treatment abroad, including amputees, remains immense. Challenges persist with evacuation routes and host countries willing to receive patients. The dire lack of assistive devices like wheelchairs and crutches further compounds the suffering, leaving victims of the conflict struggling to reclaim their lives and futures.
