Since 7 October 2023, the Gaza Strip has become an open arena for genocide carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against the civilian population. The aggression has not been limited to direct killings, starvation, and forced displacement, but has also left deep physical and psychological scars on an entire generation of children.
In this context, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has announced that over 21,000 children in Gaza are now living with disabilities resulting from the war, out of approximately 40,500 children who have sustained various injuries over the past two years.
According to the Committee, at least half of these children have lost the ability to walk, hear, or see. Others suffer from chronic conditions requiring medical treatment and assistive devices that are no longer available due to the blockade.
First-hand testimonies reflect the depth of the humanitarian suffering. Many persons with disabilities were unable to respond to evacuation orders issued by the occupying forces, rendering displacement impossible for them.
In one horrific case, a deaf mother and her children were killed in Rafah because she could not hear the evacuation warnings. Many others were forced to flee under inhumane conditions, crawling through sand or mud, in the absence of any support or assistance.
The catastrophe has been worsened by severe restrictions on humanitarian aid. Some 83% of people with disabilities in Gaza have lost essential medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs, while the occupation continues to block the entry of replacements under the pretext of “dual-use” items.
At the same time, the concentration of aid at limited, hard-to-reach points has left many disabled children and adults unable to access food, water, or medicine.
These practices constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law, which mandates special protection for the most vulnerable groups during armed conflicts, particularly children and persons with disabilities.
To date, the genocide in Gaza has resulted in 64,231 deaths and 161,583 injuries, including thousands who have lost limbs or bodily functions, as well as 9,000 people missing under the rubble. In addition, famine has claimed the lives of 370 Palestinians, including 131 children.
The tragedy of 21,000 disabled children is not just a statistic, it is further evidence that the occupation targets not only the living, but also seeks to deny survivors the right to a dignified life, aiming to destroy the Palestinian people’s ability to endure by robbing its children of their health and future, all amid global silence.
