Over 22,500 Palestinians in Gaza will never fully recover from their injuries: WHO

Due to the ongoing Israeli genocide, over 22,500 Palestinians have suffered “life-changing injuries” in Gaza. These wounded individuals will never fully recover from their injuries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“More than 22,500 people—a quarter of those wounded in Gaza since Israel’s offensive began—have life-changing injuries, requiring rehabilitation services now and for years to come,” the WHO stated on Thursday.

The severe injuries include “limb injuries, amputations, spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injuries, and major burns.”

As the number of injured continues to rise, the demand for rehabilitation services has also increased, while Gaza’s health system is unable to cope due to its collapse from the Israeli military offensive, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, Dr Richard Peeperkorn, explained.

With only 17 of the 36 hospitals currently operational in Gaza, “services such as wound care, physical therapy, and psychological support are either inaccessible or entirely unavailable, leaving thousands at risk of further complications, disabilities, or even death,” according to the UN.

The only limb reconstruction and rehabilitation center, located at the Nasser Medical Complex, has been non-functional since December 2023 amid the Israeli offensive.

The targeting of trained physiotherapists by the occupation forces has further halted rehabilitation efforts in Gaza.

Thousands of Palestinians continue to live in deplorable hygienic conditions amid ongoing bloodshed and destruction while suffering from chronic conditions and impairments.

The WHO warned that these individuals face “a heightened risk due to the collapse of critical services.”

The UN agency emphasised the urgent need for Palestinians to receive primary medical and rehabilitation services and called for an end to the human suffering in Gaza through a ceasefire agreement to “health system and save lives.”