With Prosthetics.. Rehabilitation of Amputees in Gaza Restores Half of Their Lives

With hopeful steps, thousands of Palestinians who lost their limbs during the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip are trying to regain their mobility through prosthetic limbs that are carefully manufactured and fitted for them in rehabilitation centers in the region.

On October 8, 2023, Israel began a genocide supported by the United States, which lasted for two years and resulted in over 69,000 Palestinian martyrs and more than 170,000 injured, including over 4,800 amputations, with children making up about 18 percent of these cases.

Despite the ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, many injured individuals continue to suffer as Israel continues to prevent the entry of medicines, medical supplies, and materials for manufacturing prosthetics, in addition to preventing the travel of the injured abroad for treatment.

Inside one of the training halls, Palestinian Mahmoud Al-Sheikh (51 years old) leans on two metal bars trying to walk over a bumpy surface with a prosthetic limb he is attempting to get used to, after losing his left leg in the second month of the genocide.

Al-Sheikh, a resident of northern Gaza, told Anadolu Agency that fitting a prosthetic limb for him at the "Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Hospital" restored to him "an important part" of his life, after he suffered an amputation of his left leg above the knee in November 2023 due to an Israeli attack.

He explained that he underwent intensive treatment for a year and a half at the European Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, before being transferred to Hamad Hospital for the fitting of a prosthetic limb.

He added: "The prosthetic limb gives the patient a chance to regain at least half of their life," explaining that "life without it is extremely difficult."

For his part, Ahmed Al-Absi, head of the prosthetics department at Hamad Hospital, stated that the hospital resumed providing services to a wide range of amputees since March of last year, benefiting from the second ceasefire period that began in January 2025 and ended on March 18 of the same year.

Al-Absi explained to Anadolu Agency that the hospital was significantly disrupted during the months of genocide, after its main headquarters in northern Gaza was subjected to repeated Israeli attacks, in addition to demolition operations.

The hospital often limited itself to providing emergency services to the injured and established a first aid point for this purpose, according to the same source.

Al-Absi noted that the hospital provides high-quality services for fitting upper and lower limbs "for various degrees of amputation, including complex cases," along with rehabilitation programs before and after fitting.

He pointed out that since March of last year, the hospital has successfully fitted about 100 prosthetic limbs, helping the injured reintegrate into their daily lives.

The "Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Hospital," which Qatar opened in 2019 as part of a financial grant worth $407 million, is the largest specialized center for rehabilitation and prosthetics in the region.

The hospital is overseen by the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza (affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

On November 5, 2023, Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed the existence of a Hamas tunnel in the garden of Sheikh Hamad Hospital, and spokesperson Avichai Adraee published a video clip on his account on the American platform "X," repeating the accusation.

However, Qatar quickly denied these claims the following day, affirming through the head of its committee for the reconstruction of Gaza, Mohammed Al-Emadi, that they were "claims without concrete evidence or independent investigation."

Al-Emadi considered in a statement published by the Qatari news agency "QNA" at the time that these accusations were "an obvious attempt to justify the occupation's targeting of civilian objects, including hospitals, schools, population gatherings, and shelters for displaced persons."

This center is the second in the Gaza Strip that works in the field of fitting prosthetic limbs and rehabilitating amputees after the prosthetics center affiliated with the Gaza Municipality, which also suffered damage during the months of genocide.

Throughout the two years of genocide, the Israeli occupation army deliberately targeted the health sector, including its headquarters, health facilities, and warehouses, including prosthetics centers.

Due to limited resources and the severe blockade imposed on the region, the center has contributed to fitting 250 limbs for amputees since October 2023, according to the media and public relations officer at the prosthetics center affiliated with the Gaza Municipality, Hosni Mahna.

Mahna noted in a conversation with Anadolu Agency that the center did not stop providing its services during the months of war, "as it also provided about 1,500 assistive devices for amputees, while holding 4,000 physical therapy and rehabilitation sessions for amputees and cerebral palsy patients."

The center has a "long waiting list" of injured individuals who need prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation sessions, according to Mahna, who pointed out that Israel refuses to allow the entry of the necessary materials for manufacturing these limbs, exacerbating the suffering of amputees.

According to governmental and health data, Israel continues to commit violations of the ceasefire agreement in various forms of shelling, gunfire, closing crossings, and preventing the entry of medicines and medical supplies.