Gaza Child Amputees Face Travel Barriers for Essential Care
A new report details how movement restrictions prevent 1,134 children from accessing foreign medical facilities and specialized prosthetics.
By Layla Edwards ·
Hundreds of children in Gaza who lost limbs to Israeli attacks are waiting abroad for surgeries and prosthetics they cannot receive locally. The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor released a report on Wednesday stating that 1,134 children have been amputated. It asserts that Israeli restrictions on movement, including medical evacuations, block these patients from accessing specialized care outside the strip.
The situation stems from sustained military operations. World Health Organization data shows that 2,300 amputees, both children and adults, were assessed for treatment between September 2024 and May 2026. Of that group, only 500 people have received permanent prosthetics. The report notes that local resources are insufficient to bridge the gap in care.
The Geneva-based monitor states that only eight certified prosthetics and orthotics professionals remain available in Gaza. It adds that equipment shortages prevent staff from manufacturing, fitting, and adjusting limbs. The organization warns that delaying treatment and failing to adjust prosthetics as children grow can lead to chronic pain and movement difficulties.
Fidaa Ahmad Al-Shaer, 36, described the impact on her family. Her 11-year-old son lost a hand and was left paralysed when an Israeli artillery shell landed near him. She says he requires multiple surgeries and a prosthetic limb, but closed crossings have made travel impossible.
The report accuses Israel of war crimes, citing Article 2 of the Genocide Convention. It claims that deliberately inflicting conditions of life that bring about physical destruction, in whole or in part, fits the definition of the crime. The monitor states that the amputation of limbs and the obstruction of rehabilitation form part of this pattern.
Israeli restrictions also hinder the import of equipment needed to produce prosthetic limbs inside Gaza. Specialized teams require entry permits to enter the strip to conduct work and train local staff. The report says these administrative barriers delay the delivery of long-term medical care.
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor says continued denial of treatment risks turning immediate harm into lifelong deprivation. It highlights that gaps in medical follow-up compound the physical burden on children who have already lost limbs.
Source: Al Jazeera
