Desk Report:
Nearly 42,000 people have suffered life-changing injuries in the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza since October 7, 2023. Simply put, their body parts have been damaged in a way that will never return to normal. This sad information was revealed in a recent report by the World Health Organization. One in four of the injured is a child. At least 5,000 people have had their limbs severed.
According to the report, more than 22,000 people have suffered serious injuries to their arms and legs that will never return to normal. More than 2,000 people have suffered spinal cord injuries. 1,300 people suffer brain injuries and more than 3,300 have suffered major burns.
Complex injuries to the face and eyes are also widespread, especially among those who are still unable to access advanced medical care in Gaza. According to the World Health Organization, these injuries are not only physical, but also pose new challenges of social stigma and disability.
Gaza’s health system is collapsing. Only 14 of the 36 hospitals are partially functional, and a third of the rehabilitation services that existed before the war are no longer available. Despite thousands of amputations, only eight people in Gaza are able to make and use artificial limbs. The World Health Organization says that “the rehabilitation sector is also in ruins. At least 42 specialists have been killed as of September 2024.”
“Rehabilitation is crucial not only for treating injuries, but also for those with long-term illnesses and disabilities,” said Richard Peppercorn, the World Health Organization’s Gaza representative. “Displacement, malnutrition and a lack of psychosocial support have exacerbated the crisis,” he added.
The UN agency is now calling for immediate action to ensure the safety of health systems, allow free access to medical supplies and declare a ceasefire. “The people of Gaza want peace, the right to health care and treatment, and the chance to recover,” the report says.
In the face of this devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, life has become impossible for refugees, children and people with disabilities. This humanitarian disaster should serve as an urgent warning to the international community.
