'I feel like I lost my life': Gaza amputees fight for mobility amid shortages

“'I feel like I lost my life': Gaza amputees fight for mobility amid shortages Submitted by Nada Nabil on Sat, 05/23/2026 - 14:07 Survivors of Israeli strikes face a severe shortage of prosthetics and rehabilitation as Gaza's health system struggles under siege Tens of thousands in Gaza, including Abdelsalam al-Bardawil, sustained life-altering injuries in Israeli strikes and now struggle to access prosthetics and rehabilitation (Mohammed al-Hajjar/MEE) Off Rozan Kheira woke to the sound of explosions, screaming and panic. At 10pm, an Israeli air strike hit her family's home in Gaza City as they slept. Her first instinct was to get out of bed. But when she tried to stand, she collapsed. She tried again and fell once more. Only then did she look down and see blood pooling around her leg. Her foot had been severed, attached only by a small shred of skin. "I had just woken up and couldn't comprehend what was happening," Kheira told Middle East Eye. "At that moment, I forgot we were even at war." The 24-year-old Palestinian lay frozen in shock until her brother carried her downstairs. That night, 19 November 2023, changed her life forever. As Israel destroyed hospitals, killed medical staff and blocked fuel and medicine from entering Gaza, treatable injuries became life-altering disabilities - and in some cases, fatal. Kheira was rushed to the Indonesian Hospital after the strike. "After hours of bleeding, I underwent surgery, and my foot was completely amputated," she recalled. She has spent the next two years in a wheelchair, repeatedly displaced and struggling to access even basic medical care. "I was in excruciating pain, and painkillers were unavailable in northern Gaza because of the Israeli siege," she said. Despite the ceasefire announced in October, which many hoped would ease conditions for the wounded, little has changed for people like Kheira. A fragile search for mobility Kheira later began a search for a prosthetic limb in the hope of regaining some independence. Last June, her family was forced to flee to Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where she received her first prosthetic. But it quickly became clear it was not suitable. "The prosthetic leg was extremely heavy, weighing five kilograms. It didn't match my body and made my suffering worse instead of easing it," she said. After returning to Gaza City following the ceasefire, she was given another limb by the Artificial Limbs and Polio Centre. It too proved too heavy. Still determined, she travelled again - this time to Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics in northern Gaza's Sudaniya area. "I walked on one leg from Tel al-Hawa to Sudaniya - more than six kilometres - because there was no transport," she said. "After several assessments, I finally received a third limb." ‘They severed my gymnast limbs’: Israeli bombing shatters Gaza teen’s dream Read More » But her difficulties persist. The prosthetic only fits her needs by around 30 percent, yet it remains her only option given the severe shortage of medical equipment in the strip. Doctors have advised her not to walk on it, but she has little choice. The struggle continues beyond fitting, into ongoing rehabilitation and maintenance. "I need weekly maintenance at Hamad Hospital, which means long walks on one leg just to get there," she said. "There are no vehicles, not even donkey carts. Transport is scarce and extremely expensive." Ongoing Israeli restrictions on fuel, which violate the ceasefire terms, along with the destruction of around 70 percent of Gaza's transport vehicles, have left the enclave facing a severe mobility crisis, massively limiting civilian movement. The US-backed ceasefire announced in October was intended to halt the Israeli genocide and siege on Gaza, allowing the flow of aid, medicine and rehabilitation supplies. However, Israel has largely maintained the blockade , permitting only limited aid into the territory, while fuel, food and medical supplies remain critically scarce. Air strikes and shelling have also continued, with more than 800 people killed since the ceasefire. Overall, Israeli forces have killed more than 72,700 people since October 2023, with more than 172,000 others wounded. No upper-limb prosthetics According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 43,000 Palestinians have sustained life-altering injuries during the war, including about 10,000 children. While some, like Kheira, have managed to secure basic prosthetics, many with upper-limb injuries have been left without any option at all. Among them is Abdelsalam al-Bardawil, who lost his left hand in an Israeli strike on his Gaza City home that killed his mother and brother and injured other family members. "My hand could have been saved, but because hospitals were out of service, it was amputated," he told MEE. "I didn't receive physical therapy, and painkillers weren't available. I remember jumping from the intense pain." After displacement to Deir al-Balah, he travelled to the Jordanian Field Hospital in Khan Younis and was fitted with a prosthetic, but removed it soon after. He said it was extremely heavy, rigid and purely cosmetic. He later approached the Red Crescent in Deir al-Balah and other organisations, but was repeatedly told the same thing: there were no upper-limb prosthetics available. 'My hand could have been saved, but because hospitals were out of service, it was amputated' - Abdelsalam al-Bardawil, Gaza resident Unable to work or support himself, he now relies on aid. "What saddens me most is my inability to work," he said. "It forces me to depend on assistance." He also struggles to access rehabilitation and treatment, with transport shortages making even basic medical care difficult. "The problem isn't just therapy," he said. "I can't reach clinics for medication or depression treatment." Losing his mother has also left him struggling with everyday tasks. "The only person I could ask for help without shame was my mother," he said. "Now I feel embarrassed asking my sister or relatives." Al-Bardawil holds a referral for treatment abroad, but like thousands of others, remains stuck on a waiting list amid frequent closures and Israeli restrictions at Gaza's crossings. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 20,000 patients are currently waiting for treatment outside Gaza, with access repeatedly delayed or blocked. Production stalled under blockade Despite local manufacturing efforts by Gaza's hospitals and rehabilitation centres, officials say they remain overwhelmed by the scale of casualties. Hosni Muhanna, media officer at the Gaza Municipality's Artificial Limbs and Polio Centre, said registered amputations have reached about 6,000 since the war began, according to the Ministry of Health and the Red Cross. "This unprecedented figure reflects the massive scale of the humanitarian and health catastrophe," he told MEE. He added that the centre relies on a small technical workshop for local production, but shortages of essential materials have severely limited its capacity. "The ban on essential supplies since the start of the war has crippled production, particularly for upper-limb prosthetics, as raw materials have not been allowed in," Muhanna said. Abdelsalam al-Bardawil is among thousands on waiting lists to receive treatment abroad (Mohammed al-Hajjar/MEE) He said the blockade has created acute shortages of prosthetic components and assistive devices, leaving long waiting lists as the number of amputees continues to rise. "Fitting a limb requires medical assessment, physiotherapy to prepare the muscles, and a full rehabilitation programme to train patients and restore independence," he said. But many patients cannot complete these stages due to displacement, transport difficulties and the destruction of infrastructure, he explained. Back at his displacement camp, al-Bardawil continues to wait for a call that might allow him to travel abroad for treatment. "I feel like my life is completely on hold," he said. "I didn't just lose my hand. I feel like I lost my life." Israel's genocide in Gaza Gaza City, occupied Palestine News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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