عربي
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)
On the Occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 03/12/2025
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Gaza Strip faces an increasingly harsh reality. The rise in injuries—and the fact that many have resulted in permanent disabilities—comes alongside the widespread destruction of health facilities and a severe shortage of medical supplies and assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, hearing aids, eyeglasses, crutches, and prosthetics. Rehabilitation services are also critically lacking. With the ongoing blockade and disruption of medical supplies, needs continue to exceed the capacity of the health system. This day serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and ensuring their access to care and support.
Severe Injuries are Doubling, and the Burden of Disability is Deepening
A report issued in September 2025 by the World Health Organization reveals that nearly 42,000 people in Gaza Strip are living with severe, life-changing injuries that require long-term, continuous rehabilitation. This figure has almost doubled in just one year, where the report indicated around 22,500 life-changing injuries as of July 2024.
The most prevalent types of life-changing injuries include complex limb injuries, amputations, severe burns, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and major trauma to the face, chest, abdomen, and pelvis—many of which result in permanent loss of mobility or sensory functions. WHO estimates show tens of thousands of major limb injuries and more than 5,000 amputations, nearly 75% of which involve lower limbs. The report also documents thousands of severe burns, spinal cord injuries, and brain injuries, as well as injuries to the face, chest, abdomen, and pelvis—all conditions requiring specialized and ongoing rehabilitation.
Estimated Numbers of Life- Changing Injuries Resulting from the Israeli Aggression against Gaza Strip, 2025
|
Type of Injury |
Estimated Range (Minimum – Maximum) |
|
Major limb injury |
21,759 – 28,287 |
|
Amputation |
5,021 – 6,528 |
|
Major burns |
3,348 – 4,352 |
|
Spinal cord injury |
2,009 – 2,611 |
|
Traumatic brain injury |
1,339 – 1,741 |
|
Other major injuries (chest, pelvis, abdomen, face/jaw) |
8,369 – 10,879 |
Source: World Health Organization, Estimating Trauma Rehabilitation Needs in Gaza Strip (2025)
https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/hq-whe/estimating-trauma-rehabilitation-needs-in-gaza-september-2025.pdf
One-Fourth of the Severe Injuries are among Children
The Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip has had catastrophic consequences among children, who are suffering from severe physical injuries and deep psychological trauma that threaten their health and future for many years. Many children require repeated surgeries and costly medical care, while the most severe injuries can result in lifelong disabilities.
According to WHO estimates as of September 24th, 2025, more than 10,000 children in Gaza Strip are living with severe, disability-causing injuries and require urgent and ongoing rehabilitation services. Data also show a high proportion of burn cases among children: reports from Doctors without Borders indicate that 70% of patients undergoing burn surgeries are children, most of them under five years old. This reflects the grave risks children face amid the collapse of the health system, the denial of essential medical supplies needed for recovery, and shortages of assistive devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, hearing aids, eyeglasses, crutches, and prosthetics.
Medical Evacuations Reveal the Depth of the Crisis
Data on medical evacuations outside Gaza Strip—registered by the Ministry of Health between May 2024 and June 30th, 2025—provide another indicator of the severity of the situation. Out of 749 injured evacuated due to severe injuries, 51% were children. Evacuation data show that the majority of cases involved major limb injuries, alongside a substantial proportion of amputations (22%) and neurological or brain injuries. This highlights the complexity of cases requiring long-term treatment and advanced rehabilitation services, which are largely unavailable in Gaza’s remaining medical facilities.
The Absence of Rehabilitation Threatens Patients’ Recovery and Prolongs their Pain
The World Health Organization defines rehabilitation as a set of interventions designed to improve individuals’ functioning and reduce disability, enabling them to recover and live as independently as possible. In emergencies, rehabilitation becomes essential to prevent complications and accelerate recovery.
Rehabilitation services are typically provided in hospitals, specialized centers, primary care facilities, and community settings. However, in Gaza Strip, the system is under unprecedented pressure. The massive rise in injuries—combined with the destruction of facilities, loss of staff, disrupted supply chains, and restrictions on aid entry—has left medical services unable to meet the needs.
No rehabilitation centers in Gaza Strip are currently operating at full capacity. Rehabilitation services have declined by 62% due to destruction and shortages of equipment. Ministry of Health reports as of November 27th, 2025, confirm the martyrdom of more than 1,700 health workers and specialists, including 42 rehabilitation and physiotherapy professionals.
Moreover, current estimates only account for trauma-related injuries and exclude the vast additional rehabilitation needs arising from other health conditions, many of which have worsened due to the broader impacts of the Israeli aggression. Displacement, malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and the absence of essential assistive devices severely undermine rehabilitation outcomes for both newly injured individuals and those with pre-existing conditions. Consequently, the overall rehabilitation burden in Gaza Strip far exceeds the available estimates.