Palestinian therapists create prosthetic limbs from scrap wood to help Gaza amputees

In the midst of Israel's military offensive in Gaza, two Palestinian therapists, Salah Salami and Moataz Abu Dayah, have made prosthetic limbs using scrap wood to help amputees.

"We start this concept through the standard idea of prosthetics. These prosthetics may be just used temporarily until there is access to a proper porsthetic limb that is complete or professional," said Salah Salami, a therapist, while talking to Al-Jazeera.

"What is important is that the patient is able to return to work or through play therapy, where we draw on the foot and the amputation site to improve sensation and attention to the missing part," said Salah Salami, therapist.," he added.

"We want to help the injured and to document the injured people who are living in tough conditions in Gaza in the midst of the war. We have not allowed war to be a barrier that forces us to wait until it ends to help the injured or provide services to them, whether they need prosthetics or rehabilitation," said another physiotherapist Moataz Abu Dayah.

However, medical officials face difficulties in reaching patients due to the ongoing conflict. 

"Of course, this service faces a challenge, from the patients' side, for them to move from place to place to reach the rehabilitation service point or healthcare point," Abu Dayah noted.

Salami and Abu Dayah's innovative solution offers a glimmer of hope amidst the devastation, highlighting the resilience of the Palestinian people.

The Israeli military offensive in Gaza has had a devastating impact, killing 38,000 Palestinians and injuring tens of thousands more. 

The population of Gaza has decreased from 2.3 million to 2.1 million, according to recent estimates by the UN humanitarian community.

Despite the devastation, Hamas has not backtracked from its commitment to make Palestine an independent state. 

"We will not surrender our homes, our land, or our rights," a Hamas spokesperson said.