Why it matters:
Beyond the unprecedented death toll, tens of thousands of Palestinians in the GAza Strip, many of them children, face permanent disabilities that will reshape Gaza’s social fabric for generations. The crisis also exposes the collapse of medical infrastructure under Israeli siege.
The big picture:
Since October 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 66,000 people and injured over 170,000.
Thousands remain buried under rubble.
Fuel shortages, blocked aid, and restrictions on critical medical supplies crippled health systems in Gaza.
By the numbers:
42,000 Gazans have life-changing injuries.
25% of victims are children.
More than 5,000 people have undergone amputations due to war wounds.
Nearly 169,000 total injuries have been reported since October 2023.
What they’re saying:
Dr. Khamis Elessi, neurorehabilitation specialist:
“Kids who have lost their limbs endure unbearable psychological trauma that will scar them for life.Parents are forced to carry their injured children and walk 10 kilometers, fleeing for survival.”
WHO statement: The organization called for urgent action to establish rehabilitation centers, ensure unhindered access to fuel and medical supplies, and facilitate the entry of assistive devices for people with disabilities.
State of play:
WHO’s findings underscore that Gaza’s war injuries are not temporary. Without rehabilitation, tens of thousands face lifelong disability, poverty, and lifelong suffering. For children, the psychological scars may prove even deeper than physical wounds.
Go deeper:
The humanitarian toll of Israel’s war is not only measured in lives lost but in lives permanently altered. WHO warns that without urgent medical intervention, Gaza risks becoming a society of war-disabled survivors.
Hossein Vaez - M.a.Mahmoudi
