James Elder, a spokesperson for UNICEF, described the harrowing conditions faced by children in Gaza, stating that they were enduring "10 weeks of hell with no escape."
The limited remaining hospitals in the region are reportedly overwhelmed, with both children and their parents bearing the "ghastly wounds of war," including a significant number of child amputees. (Related: 40 percent of Palestinians killed in Gaza are children.)
Due to the severe blockade, a lack of anesthetic, electricity and running water, health workers in Gaza are compelled to perform amputation surgeries in unsanitary conditions and without pain relief.
Steve Sosebee, the founder of the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), expressed disbelief that such conditions persist in the modern world, emphasizing the unimaginable nature of the situation. Sosebee also warned that the number of child amputees could continue to rise as many children with significant injuries may require amputations in the coming weeks and months.
Before the current conflict in Gaza, 12 percent of Palestinian children aged two to 17 were already facing one or more functional difficulties, with 21 percent of households in Gaza having at least one member with physical or mental disabilities.
"Amputee crisis" existed in Gaza even before recent hostilities
The PCRF also highlighted the existing "amputee crisis" in Gaza even before the recent hostilities. In the aftermath of the Great March of Return protests in 2018-19, where Israeli forces fired at thousands of Palestinians, including children, there were over 7,000 limb injuries that required amputations in 156 cases.
The barriers to healthcare access are so formidable that the UN has identified "individuals in need of medical referrals" as a vulnerable group within the Palestinian population. PCRF noted that many Palestinians in Gaza are susceptible to osteomyelitis (bone infection) following injuries if medical treatment is delayed.
The scarcity of medical resources and restrictions on movement in the besieged strip means that numerous treatable injuries end up necessitating amputation. The current conflict exacerbates these challenges, adding a layer of urgency and complexity to an already dire healthcare situation in Gaza.
Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, a London-based surgeon who traveled to Gaza to treat patients during the Israeli onslaught, reported that approximately half of his operating list comprised children, some of whom underwent amputations without anesthesia in a swift manner.
The challenging circumstances in Gaza are further compounded by the ongoing Israeli siege, restricting the movement of people and medical supplies. The blockade hindered the timely evacuation of the wounded to better-equipped hospitals in the occupied West Bank.
Access to specialized treatment in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israeli hospitals was denied to many injured protesters, exacerbating the challenges faced by amputees in Gaza.
As the confirmed death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza rises to 21,110, with 70 percent of the casualties being women and children, the region continues to grapple with the devastating consequences of conflict and limited access to essential medical care.
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Watch this video about innocent children in Gaza getting bombed by Israeli forces.
This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.
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