Gaza Ministry of Health: Women constitute approximately 8% of documented amputation cases

Zaher Al-Wahidi, Director of Health Information at the Ministry of Health in Gaza, stated that women constitute approximately 8% of the 4,800 officially documented amputation cases in the Strip, stressing that the actual numbers are higher.

Al-Wahidi explained in press statements that amputee women, especially mothers, face double the suffering, as they bear the burdens of the family, given that poverty rates have reached more than 90% of Palestinian families.

He pointed out that the loss of a limb leaves a profound psychological impact on a mother, as it deprives her of her natural role in caring for her children, which can lead to psychological trauma, depression, and isolation.

The Director of Information at the Ministry of Health stated that the occupation prevents the entry of mobility aids such as crutches and wheelchairs, obstructs the installation of prosthetic limbs, and prohibits the entry of air mattresses, which increases the suffering of those injured.

He also noted that displaced amputee women face great difficulty in transportation, as a journey of no more than 15 kilometers can take more than 12 hours. Al-Wahidi called on international and humanitarian organizations to take urgent action to provide prosthetic limbs and psychological support, thus restoring a sense of life and dignity to the injured.