Gaza is facing a silent epidemic, with the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, according to a December 2024 report by the UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA). The healthcare system, already decimated by years of conflict and blockade, is unable to provide adequate care for the thousands of children and adults who have lost limbs due to Israel’s indiscriminate use of explosive weapons.
A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolding
Since October 2023, over 22,500 people in Gaza have sustained life-altering injuries, including severe limb injuries, amputations, spinal cord trauma, and burns, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). At the height of the conflict, aid agencies reported that more than 10 children were losing one or both limbs every day. Many of these amputations were performed without anesthesia, and countless limbs could have been saved if Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure had not been destroyed.
The story of nine-year-old Heba Muhanna, who lost her right leg in an Israeli airstrike on the Al Nusairat refugee camp in December 2024, is just one of thousands. Heba also lost her father and five uncles in the same attack. Her story underscores the devastating human toll of the conflict, which has left countless children physically and emotionally scarred.
Collapse of Gaza’s Healthcare System
Even after the ceasefire, Gaza’s healthcare system remains in ruins. Hospitals and clinics, particularly in the north, have been destroyed, forcing humanitarian organizations to set up makeshift tents to provide basic care. Medical supplies are running out, and the Rafah border crossing remains closed, preventing the injured from seeking treatment abroad.
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Hadeel Awad, a nurse and writer based in Gaza, witnessed the crisis firsthand during visits to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. She described the heartbreaking scenes of children like Tala, a four-year-old girl who lost a leg, and Abdallah, a young man who underwent an amputation after losing his grandmother and sibling in a bombing. Awad also met Hanan, 3, and Misk, 1, who lost their mother and limbs in an Israeli raid.
“These children are unable to run and play with their peers,” Awad wrote. “They are suffering severe trauma in a place that cannot offer them even basic care.”
A Legacy of War and Neglect
Even before the current conflict, Gaza was struggling to care for amputees from previous Israeli wars and assaults. Facilities like the Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, which provided prosthetic limbs and psychosocial support, have been destroyed. Today, there is an urgent need for prosthetic limbs, crutches, and wheelchairs, but these essential supplies are being blocked from entering Gaza.
The psychological trauma inflicted on amputees, particularly children, is profound. Many, like Hanan, are old enough to understand their loss and ask why they are different from their peers. Without proper rehabilitation and mental health support, these children face a lifetime of physical and emotional challenges.
A Call for International Action
The scale of destruction in Gaza’s healthcare sector means it will take years to rebuild, even if aid restrictions are lifted. In the meantime, amputees and other victims of the conflict will continue to suffer from a lack of care and rehabilitation. This silent epidemic demands urgent international attention and action to address the humanitarian crisis and hold accountable those responsible for the indiscriminate violence.
As the world looks on, the children of Gaza are paying the highest price for a conflict they did not choose. Their stories are a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the urgent need for justice, healing, and lasting peace.
