The United Nations committee reported that since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, at least 21,000 children in Gaza have been disabled.
In nearly two years of conflict, about 40,500 children have sustained “new war-related injuries,” with over half resulting in disabilities, according to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
A boy emerges from the rubble of a collapsed building hit in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip. — AFP file
The committee noted that Israeli evacuation orders during military operations in Gaza were “often inaccessible” to those with hearing or visual impairments, making evacuation “impossible”.
At a press briefing, committee member Muhannad Al-Azzeh highlighted the tragic case of a deaf mother in Rafah who perished with her children, unaware of the evacuation instructions.
“Reports indicated that people with disabilities were forced to flee under unsafe and undignified conditions, such as crawling through sand or mud without mobility aids,” the committee stated.
Humanitarian aid restrictions in Gaza have disproportionately affected the disabled community, the committee added.
“People with disabilities faced severe aid disruptions, leaving many without essentials like food, clean water, or sanitation, relying on others for survival,” it reported.
Gaza Aid Restrictions
The centralization of aid distribution in Gaza has made it increasingly difficult for the disabled to access necessary assistance, warned the committee.
While the new US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has four distribution sites, it replaced a UN system that had around 400 locations.
“Expecting children with disabilities to reach these aid points is unrealistic,” noted Azzeh.
“Prioritizing outreach to children with disabilities is crucial for humanitarian aid,” he stressed.
Physical barriers, such as war debris and lost mobility aids, have hindered access to aid points.
The committee stated that 83 percent of disabled individuals lost their assistive devices and couldn’t afford alternatives like donkey carts.
Concerns were raised about assistive devices like wheelchairs being labeled “dual-use items” by Israeli authorities, excluding them from aid shipments.
The committee urged for “massive humanitarian aid” delivery to those with disabilities affected by the conflict.
They reported at least 157,114 people injured, with over 25 percent at risk of lifelong impairments between October 7, 2023, and August 21 this year.
“At least 21,000 children have acquired disabilities in Gaza since October 7, 2023,” it stated.
The committee called on Israel to introduce specific measures to protect disabled children from attacks and implement evacuation protocols considering their needs.
Israel should ensure that disabled individuals can “safely return to their homes and receive assistance,” it concluded.
