Palestinian Health Ministry: Gaza has the highest rate of child amputations

The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that the Gaza Strip has the highest rate of child amputations per capita in the world. In a statement released Sunday, the ministry added that more than 5,000 children in Gaza underwent amputations during the Israeli offensive on the Strip, according to a report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The statement indicated that it is estimated that at least a quarter of those injured will require medium- and long-term rehabilitation. Gaza currently has the highest rate of child amputations per capita globally, reflecting the depth of the health and humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip. The statement explained that there is a severe shortage of personnel and equipment, with only eight prosthetic specialists remaining in Gaza, operating at limited capacity. Furthermore, more than two-thirds of rehabilitation facilities were destroyed or rendered inoperable before the war.