A Geneva-based human rights organization has expressed concern about Israel’s continued denial of specialized medical care to children in the Gaza Strip who have lost limbs, exacerbating their suffering by limiting medical evacuations and disrupting rehabilitation services.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, in a press release on Wednesday, reported 1,134 cases of amputations among Palestinian children, and noted that inflicting such injuries while also hindering access to treatment constitutes part of Israel's persistent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Euro-Med highlighted that Israeli restrictions on patient travel and barriers to medical evacuations are hindering injured children from obtaining specialized treatment overseas, as Gaza struggles with critical shortages of prosthetic devices, skilled professionals and operational rehabilitation centers.
The monitor pointed out that the collapse of rehabilitation services is worsening the effects of children's injuries and greatly diminishing their chances of regaining mobility and independence.
According to Euro-Med, only about 500 individuals have received prosthetic limbs from around 2,300 assessed cases, indicating a significant disparity between treatment availability and demand. It also noted that only eight specialists in prosthetics and orthotics are practicing in Gaza.
The figures are derived from a World Health Organization (WHO) update released in May 2026, which includes amputees of all ages, not just children.
The WHO reported 2,277 amputees assessed between September 2024 and May 2026, with 502 receiving prosthetic limbs during that timeframe. Children represented 18% of those assessed, yet only eight specialists are available to deliver services throughout the area.
The data emphasizes that undergoing amputation surgery is merely the first step in a lengthy recovery process.
Patients require ongoing follow-up care, rehabilitation, assistive devices, and specialized support to regain mobility and independence.
However, restrictions on medical supplies and the inadequate capacity of rehabilitation services have severely compromised their recovery prospects.
In May, the WHO noted that none of Gaza’s rehabilitation facilities were functioning at full capacity, with over 400 patients waiting for specialized rehabilitation beds.
The organization cautioned that prematurely discharging patients due to pressure on medical facilities disrupts their recovery and raises the likelihood of permanent disabilities.
The crisis includes not only funding and qualified personnel shortages, but also barriers to the entry of necessary rehabilitation equipment.
The WHO reported that no equipment for establishing or outfitting rehabilitation facilities had entered Gaza between May 2024 and mid-April 2026.
At the same time, 18 shipments of rehabilitation supplies, including wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, and other critical equipment, were pending approval for entry.
These circumstances leave injured children facing two simultaneous challenges: insufficient rehabilitation services inside Gaza and barriers preventing them from traveling abroad for specialized treatment.
The Geneva-based organization also warned that the absence of parental care is worsening the situations of children with amputations, citing figures that reveal 71,846 children in Gaza had lost one or both parents by October 2026.
The organization urged the international community to impose an arms embargo on Israel and hold it accountable for unlawful attacks. It also called on international organizations to ensure the protection of injured children and amputees, secure consistent humanitarian access to Gaza, and pressure Israel to lift restrictions on medical evacuations for children needing treatment abroad.
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor cautioned that without immediate action to restore rehabilitation services, facilitate medical travel, and ensure the entry of essential equipment, thousands of Palestinian children may face lifelong disabilities and reduced recovery opportunities.
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