Gazans injured in war live with disabilities but little medical support

December 14, 2024

Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu via Getty Images

(KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA) -- The humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict in Gaza has left in its wake thousands of people with life-altering disabilities.

The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, coupled with Gaza's crumbling health care infrastructure, has created what some describe as insurmountable challenges for those injured during the violence.

About 25% of the people who have sustained injuries in the conflict -- an estimated 22,500 people -- now require long-term rehabilitation, according to the World Health Organization. More than 106,000 people have been injured in Gaza since the war began, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.

But in Gaza, where medical resources are already stretched to the breaking point, even basic rehabilitation services remain out of reach.

Many disabled individuals face not only physical pain but also profound psychological scars and societal rejection in Gaza, international and local medical professionals said. With limited access to medical care, psychological support, and assistive devices, they are often left to navigate life with disabilities that forever alter their futures.

"In any circumstances, recovering from an extensive injury and attending physical rehabilitation takes an enormous amount of psychological strength. To do this in a conflict zone -- where accessing mobility aids, appropriate transportation, or any at all, physiotherapy sessions, proper nutrition, and rest is very difficult -- takes a severe toll on every individual experiencing it," International Committee of the Red Cross spokesperson Hisham Mhanna told ABC News in an interview.

In the more than a year since Israel began its retaliatory war against Hamas, the terrorist group that attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage, much of Gaza has been destroyed by airstrikes, according to the United Nations. Nearly 100 hostages remain missing in Gaza with about two-thirds believed to be alive.

About 60% of all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed, a U.N. agency said in September. The Strip's hospital system has "collapsed," a spokesperson for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, told ABC News in October. Nineteen of the 36 hospitals and nine field hospitals formerly operating in Gaza were still partially functioning, the WHO said at the time.

Ahmed Al Haw, 17, a displaced person living in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, said he is among those whose lives have been irreversibly changed. Al Haw was injured in front of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis while visiting a sick relative. His family's trip turned into a nightmare when a bomb exploded near their car.

"My grandfather's leg was amputated, and as the injury developed, he passed away. My mother and sister were also injured. I lost my eye and part of my foot," Al Haw said.

For Al Haw, the aftermath of the explosion has been almost as unbearable as the injuries themselves. He has been thrust into a reality where even the simplest tasks are a struggle. The physical pain is unrelenting, but it pales in comparison to the psychological toll he endures, he said.

"At the beginning of the injury, I was in a state of depression. I didn't eat at all. One time, I even thought about committing suicide," he said.

Gaza's health care system lacks the resources to adequately address the needs of the disabled, the World Health Organization said in a recent press release announcing the publication of an analysis of the medical situation in Gaza. There is a lack of medical supplies, including prosthetics, wheelchairs and essential medications to treat people with injuries that have left them disabled, the press release said. Hospitals are overwhelmed, understaffed, and under-resourced.

"Accessing proper prosthetics and mobility aids is difficult in Gaza, where there are shortages of everything, including critical medical drugs and supplies. The focus of medical staff is on saving lives, as it must be in any emergency, but this leaves gaps in the post-recovery care in many areas." Mhanna said.

Medical aid has accounted for about 2.5% by weight of all aid that's been brought in Gaza since the conflict began about 14 months ago, according to the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, the Israeli ministry overseeing the flow of food, medical aid and other supplies into Gaza. About 28,918 tons of medical aid have crossed into the Strip, according to COGAT data.

"Israel actively and continuously operates to facilitate the increase of the medical response in Gaza," COGAT says on its website. "This is done in close coordination with humanitarian aid organizations specializing in health services, and donor countries."

The most common injuries medical staff see are "loss of limbs" from bombings and shrapnel, said Dr. Sami Owaimer, director of the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Unit at the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

"The most common injuries we see are the loss of limbs due to explosions and shrapnel, alongside eye injuries that lead to blindness and spinal injuries resulting in paralysis. These wounds often cause permanent deformities and profoundly alter lives," Owaimer said.

Rehabilitation, a critical step in recovery, is virtually non-existent in Gaza. The region lacks specialized centers, modern equipment and trained professionals to provide comprehensive care. As a result, many disabled individuals are left without the tools or support needed to adapt to their new realities.

"There is a glaring lack of specialized rehabilitation centers and modern equipment, such as prosthetics and movement training devices," Owaimer said. "Comprehensive programs that integrate physical, psychological and social services are desperately needed."

For Al Haw, the psychological impact of his injuries is compounded by the stigma he faces from society, he said.

"Society does not accept me," he said. "When I walk slowly on crutches, people start shouting at me, 'Hurry up!' One time, I fell to the ground. I cry every day. I have nightmares every night. I feel very lonely. I've become mentally ill in addition to being physically and visually disabled."

The lack of psychological support exacerbates the suffering of those like Al Haw. Many patients, particularly young people, find themselves battling depression and anxiety with no professional guidance or emotional support.

"Adapting to life with a disability is a significant challenge," Owaimer said. "While some programs offer psychological and social rehabilitation, the lack of resources limits their reach and effectiveness."

The societal challenges faced by people with disabilities in Gaza, limited facilities, lack of accessibility and entrenched stigma leave many feeling isolated and marginalized. Al Haw described this isolation as being particularly painful. As the oldest of seven siblings, he said he feels a deep responsibility to support his family, especially with his father imprisoned in an Israeli jail.

"I've lost my feet and my sight, the most precious things I had. My dreams have deteriorated. I can't support my mother and sisters. My future is completely unknown," he said.

Despite the obstacles he faces, Al Haw keeps going, driven by his love for his family.

"Because of my family, I am struggling to continue living. I want to have a good future, to support my family in the absence of my father," he said.

"These individuals are not just numbers -- they are human beings with rights who deserve dignity, education, and proper rehabilitation," Owaimer said.

"In the chaos of conflict, many people with disabilities are forgotten," Mhanna, of the Red Cross, said. "But they are civilians and receive special protection under international humanitarian law. People with disabilities, and the different challenges and needs they have, must be taken into account by parties to a conflict during active hostilities."