Gaza s amputees Thousands of survivors fight to regain life

For thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who lost limbs, the war is far from over. Surviving the bombardment was merely the beginning of another journey, seemingly calmer, yet with far longer consequences.

This journey begins in the operating room, extends to physical therapy sessions, the search for a prosthetic limb, waiting for travel, and the struggle to adapt to a body forever altered.

According to the latest estimates from the World Health Organization, more than 5,000 Palestinians lost limbs during the war, while tens of thousands more require long-term rehabilitation services.

As the need grows, the capacity of Gaza’s health sector remains limited, hampered by shortages of specialized medical equipment and supplies, and damage to healthcare facilities.

WHO data indicates that approximately 43,000 injuries in Gaza since the start of the war could have permanently changed the lives of those affected, including thousands of severe limb injuries.

Of those whose cases were assessed, about 18% were children, highlighting that the war has not only impacted an adult generation but also children who will require care, rehabilitation, and prosthetics for many years to come. The organization notes that 76% of the assessed amputations were lower limb amputations, while about a third were above-knee amputations; these cases require more complex rehabilitation and ongoing training in prosthetic limb use.

However, the gap between need and response appears enormous. Of the 2,277 amputees assessed between September 2024 and May 2026, only 502 received permanent prostheses.

In other words, the vast majority of those assessed are still waiting to complete a long road toward regaining mobility.