Geneva — At least 25 percent of the injured in the war that has engulfed Gaza have suffered “life-changing injuries,” many of them requiring amputation and many months of rehabilitation services, said the World Health Organization today. In the most candid assessment yet of the humanitarian crisis from WHO, at least 22,500 of the 95,000 people injured since the war erupted will need long-term rehabilitation support.
“The huge surge in rehabilitation needs occurs in parallel with the ongoing decimation of the health system,” Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative for the Palestinian territories said in a statement.
Key Statistics of War’s Impact
The total number of deaths, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, has reached over 41,000 people, and 95,000 have been wounded in the conflict that escalated following the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. That attack killed 1,205 people on the Israeli side-mostly civilians-and led to Israel’s retaliatory offensive.New analysis from the WHO has suggested that a large number of the injured were women and children, with many suffering from multiple injuries. Severe limb injuries, that range between 13,455 and 17,550 cases, are the leading cause of disability, with reports ranging between 3,105 and 4,050 amputations.
Other serious injuries include damage to the spinal cord, traumatic brain injury, and major burns.
Gaza’s Crumbling Healthcare System
WHO, further reported that the healthcare system in Gaza is on the verge of collapse. Out of its 36 hospitals, only 17 are operational and that too partially. Many primary health clinics are often unreachable due to the conflict, displacement orders, and direct attacks on these facilities. Meanwhile, Nasser Medical Complex, the only limb reconstruction and rehabilitation center in Gaza, stopped operations for a lack of required supplies and specialized health workers, leaving thousands without critical medical care.“Tragically, much of the rehabilitation workforce in Gaza is now displaced,” the WHO statement added. Peeperkorn emphasized that due to disrupted services, patients are in grave danger: “Acute rehabilitation services are severely disrupted, and specialized care for complex injuries is not available.”
Call for Urgent Support
WHO is appealing for immediate international assistance in addressing the crisis of overwhelming rehabilitation needs in Gaza, both urgent and long-term care. The situation as assessed by the organization is dire on all counts, with a region already in shambles from years of conflict and blockade.
While the war between Israel and Hamas has continued, the humanitarian cost in Gaza has reached new highs. While thousands have been suffering life-altering injuries, destruction of the health infrastructure in the Strip means the outlook for those in urgent need of rehabilitation and care is grim. The international community must take action through immediate and sustained support to prevent further human suffering.