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as a fragile truce Gaza Continuing, Palestinians are returning to what remained of their lives after two years of continuous bombing.
But thousands of those who survived Israel’s attacks face life-changing injuries sustained during the conflict.
More than 6,000 prosthetics are currently needed in Gaza, many of which are for children, according to World Health Organization,
And there are very few people on the ground who have the expertise to help them.
Heba, of the NGO Humanity and Inclusion, is one of eight prosthetic technicians left in Gaza. She examines people’s amputated limbs, measures their stumps and makes molds for both leg and arm prostheses.
“We see people who are living with amputation, whose stories of loss are heartbreaking and unimaginable,” the mother of two said. “Many of them are the sole survivors of their families, bearing the physical and emotional burden of that traumatic experience.”
The UN humanitarian aid organization OCHA said the war had “The largest group of children with disabilities in modern history,
“In the Gaza Strip, where people are forced to move constantly and repeatedly due to forced displacement and insecurity, prostheses are not just a medical device, it is a lifeline,” Heba said.
“It allows people to walk again, care for their families and themselves, and face daily challenges with greater strength. Without prosthetics, many people will be completely dependent on others at a time when families and communities are already under enormous pressure.”
Heba provides temporary prosthetic devices for people with lower limb amputations.
But she says Israeli authorities have blocked most synthetic components from entering Gaza during the war, labeling them as “dual-use” items, which are materials that can be reused for military use.
This has made his team’s work even more difficult because they lack some of the basic parts needed to help people who have lost limbs. Israel’s military aid agency Kogat did not respond to a request for comment.
Now that the ceasefire is in place, Heba hopes that critical equipment will eventually be allowed to cross the border.
“With this ceasefire, we are ready to expand our activities and look forward to supporting more and more people at our Prosthetics and Orthotics Centre,” he said.
“We have stock ready at the border that has been there for months. These are mainly assistive devices: wheelchairs, crutches, artificial limb devices. We are about to run out of many items at the centre, including items specifically designed for children.”
Due to frequent air strikes and evacuation orders, access to medical supplies has become almost impossible and essential items are being prioritized. Storage facilities and warehouses that contained materials that could be used to make prostheses have been destroyed in the bombing.
Heba works at the Nahla Prosthetics and Orthotics Centre, named after her late colleague Nahla, who was killed along with her four children in a bombing at their home in December 2023. The center has been temporarily relocated khan younisWhat is now an evacuation zone in the southern Gaza Strip.
The center opened in January and is staffed by a qualified local prosthetics specialist, supported by an international technical expert along with two prosthetic assistants, two physiotherapists and a psychologist.
Anne-Claire Yesh, Director of Humanity and Inclusion, said: “There is a huge demand for assistive devices and medical equipment, but our prosthetic and orthotic center in Khan Younis is about to run out of many items, including items specifically designed for children.
“Our team of 100 people in Gaza is ready to provide aid and services. Most of them have been working around the clock for the past few months. Despite being exhausted and affected by the war, displaced and short of food, we are working at full capacity.”