More than 43,000 suffered life-threatening injuries during Israeli genocidal war in Gaza: WHO
During Israel's genocide in Gaza, of the 172,000 Palestinians injured since October 2023, more than 43,000 have suffered life-changing trauma to their limbs, spinal cords, or brains, according to new WHO estimates, a figure that includes 10,000 children.
Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, Reinhilde Van de Weerdt, the WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, said the updated figures reflect the devastating long-term impact of the conflict on Gaza's people and its collapsing healthcare system.
Since the WHO's last report in September 2025, nearly 5,000 additional life-changing injuries have been recorded, almost half of them after the ceasefire was announced in October 2025.
According to WHO data, major limb injuries account for the largest share of severe cases, with more than 22,000 recorded. That is followed by over 5,000 traumatic amputations, more than 3,400 major burns, over 2,000 spinal cord injuries, and more than 1,300 traumatic brain injuries.
Up to 4,000 children lost limbs in Gaza war, now trapped without prosthetics
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Minas Al Jabbour reports from Gaza City
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Van de Weerdt stated that more than 50,000 injuries now require long-term rehabilitation. Nearly 14,000 patients registered for limb reconstruction services between July 2025 and May 2026, with almost half of those assessed needing additional surgery.
Due to severe shortages in the blockaded territory, only 500 out of 2,300 amputees evaluated between September 2024 and May 2026 have received permanent prosthetics.
No rehabilitation facility is fully operational in Gaza. More than 400 patients are currently waiting for specialized rehabilitation beds, Van de Weerdt said, forcing hospitals to discharge patients early and increasing the risk of permanent disability.
She also warned that no rehabilitation equipment has entered Gaza in the past two years. Eighteen shipments containing wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs, and rehabilitation devices remain pending clearance.
"The people of Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering," Van de Weerdt said. "They deserve not just emergency care, but the sustained support needed to recover and reclaim their lives."
Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed about 72,500 people since October 2023, according to the official count, including at least 850 since the “ceasefire” took effect.
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