WHO Warns of Life-Altering Injuries in Gaza as Israeli Violence Worsens
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - More than 22,000 people injured in Gaza during Israel’s ongoing genocidal war have sustained life-changing injuries, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported.
The ongoing war has also decimated Gaza’s healthcare system, leaving thousands without necessary rehabilitation services.
The WHO announced that over a quarter of those wounded in Gaza, more than 22,500 individuals, have suffered severe injuries requiring long-term rehabilitation. These include spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and major burns.
Dr. Thaer Ahmad, an emergency physician who worked in Gaza, stressed that the real number of life-altering injuries is likely much higher. "These are very conservative estimates," he told Al Jazeera. "This is something that should scare everyone."
“These are very conservative estimates – they’re doing so in a way to let you know that there is something urgent happening here,” Ahmad told Al Jazeera. “This is something that should scare everyone. These are people who need round-the-clock care.”
Gaza’s healthcare system has largely collapsed after Israeli forces launched devastating operations in Gaza on the October 2023. In the aftermath, WHO Representative Dr. Richard Peeperkorn warned that acute rehabilitation services have been severely disrupted, putting patients' lives at risk.
“Immediate and long-term support is urgently needed to address the enormous rehabilitation needs,” Peeperkorn said. Gaza’s only limb reconstruction center has been non-functional since late 2023 due to damage and lack of supplies.
Additionally, the region’s economy has been devastated. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) reported a sharp 81% drop in Gaza’s GDP, exacerbating unemployment and poverty across the region.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, UN experts condemned rising attacks on journalists covering the Israeli violence. At least three incidents involved Israeli forces targeting reporters, with several injured. The experts called these acts "crude attempts" to obstruct independent reporting on the conflict.
Journalists have faced harassment and arbitrary arrests, and the experts urged Israel to respect press freedom in line with international law.