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UN Says Children Account for One in Five of Gaza Amputees
(MENAFN) The United Nations sounded an urgent alarm Monday over the deepening medical catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip, revealing that children account for one in five of all amputees as a severe lack of specialists and blocked supply chains leave thousands without the care they desperately need.
Over 6,600 Palestinians require prosthetic and rehabilitation services, yet just eight prosthetic technicians remain on the ground to handle the overwhelming caseload — a figure that exposes the staggering gap between demand and available resources.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric addressed reporters at a news conference, raising alarm over deteriorating sanitary conditions alongside the prosthetics crisis. "On health, concerns remain over skin diseases and other medical issues linked to the presence of pests and rodents," he said.
The scale of the amputation crisis traces back to October 2023, when a wave of casualties began overwhelming Gaza's already fragile health infrastructure. "That includes thousands of people who have received amputations since October 2023, yet only eight prosthetic technicians are available to respond," Dujarric said.
At the current pace, recovery efforts face a timeline that stretches far beyond the immediate horizon. Warning that "with severe shortages of specialists and restricted entry of prosthetic materials, it could take five years or more to meet today's needs," Dujarric stressed that "one in five amputees is a child."
He further underscored that "international prosthetic technicians are urgently needed, as well as the unimpeded entry of prosthetic materials, which remain restricted by the Israeli authorities."
The crisis is compounded by a sweeping blockade Israel has maintained over Gaza since 2007 — a policy that has pushed the enclave's 2.4 million residents to the brink of famine. A two-year military offensive launched in October 2023 has killed more than 72,000 people, left over 172,000 wounded, and inflicted widespread destruction across the besieged territory.
Over 6,600 Palestinians require prosthetic and rehabilitation services, yet just eight prosthetic technicians remain on the ground to handle the overwhelming caseload — a figure that exposes the staggering gap between demand and available resources.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric addressed reporters at a news conference, raising alarm over deteriorating sanitary conditions alongside the prosthetics crisis. "On health, concerns remain over skin diseases and other medical issues linked to the presence of pests and rodents," he said.
The scale of the amputation crisis traces back to October 2023, when a wave of casualties began overwhelming Gaza's already fragile health infrastructure. "That includes thousands of people who have received amputations since October 2023, yet only eight prosthetic technicians are available to respond," Dujarric said.
At the current pace, recovery efforts face a timeline that stretches far beyond the immediate horizon. Warning that "with severe shortages of specialists and restricted entry of prosthetic materials, it could take five years or more to meet today's needs," Dujarric stressed that "one in five amputees is a child."
He further underscored that "international prosthetic technicians are urgently needed, as well as the unimpeded entry of prosthetic materials, which remain restricted by the Israeli authorities."
The crisis is compounded by a sweeping blockade Israel has maintained over Gaza since 2007 — a policy that has pushed the enclave's 2.4 million residents to the brink of famine. A two-year military offensive launched in October 2023 has killed more than 72,000 people, left over 172,000 wounded, and inflicted widespread destruction across the besieged territory.
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