DaysofPal – Gaza now hosts the largest group of child amputees in modern history, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has warned, highlighting the unprecedented scale of injuries among Palestinian children during Israel’s war.
“Nearly 42,000 people in Gaza have suffered life-changing injuries, and almost a quarter of them are children,” Lazzarini said, noting that the collapse of the medical system has left many without the treatment or rehabilitation needed to rebuild their lives.
The World Health Organization reported in late October that around 3,800 Palestinian children urgently require evacuation from Gaza to access critical medical care.
UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram described the situation as a growing humanitarian catastrophe, emphasizing that the past two years have caused “devastating and unprecedented effects” on children’s physical and psychological well-being.
Ingram added that dozens of children have been killed every day during the conflict, and thousands more have suffered life-altering injuries, including hundreds who required amputations or major surgeries.
She estimated that 4,000 children are in urgent need of medical evacuation outside Gaza, but the pace of transfers has been “very slow,” and even during ceasefires, the level of care remains insufficient.
UNRWA’s mandate was overwhelmingly extended for an additional three years by the UN General Assembly amid this crisis.
Commenting on the vote, Lazzarini said it reflects “broad solidarity from around the world with Palestine refugees” and reinforces the international community’s responsibility to address their humanitarian and development needs until a just and lasting solution is found.
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