SAEDNEWS: A chilling UN-backed report has revealed that an average of ten children a day are losing limbs in Gaza, with over 40,000 injured since Israel’s offensive began—raising alarm over a generation left permanently disabled and starved of essential care.
According to Saed News, a new report from the UN-supported Global Protection Cluster paints a harrowing picture of life for children in Gaza, revealing that ten youngsters each day are losing one or both legs as a result of the ongoing Israeli assault. Since the war erupted in October 2023, more than 40,500 children have sustained injuries, with many left permanently disabled.
The report, released Tuesday, warns that the enclave's once-limited protection framework has collapsed entirely. “There is no safe space in Gaza,” it states, noting that 134,105 people have suffered new conflict-related injuries, with roughly a quarter developing disabilities requiring sustained rehabilitation.
Gaza’s only limb reconstruction facility ceased operating in December 2023 due to resource depletion and was severely damaged by Israeli airstrikes in February. Children are now undergoing amputations and other surgeries, often without anaesthesia, UN Secretary-General António Guterres confirmed earlier this year.
Human rights organisations have described the war’s toll on Gaza’s youth as catastrophic. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, children make up 30 percent of the nearly 59,000 Palestinians killed since the start of hostilities, and about 15 children per day now acquire life-altering disabilities.
In tandem with the physical injuries, Gaza faces a worsening hunger crisis. Unicef has warned that children suffering from acute malnutrition are now ten times more likely to die from otherwise treatable conditions. On Tuesday, UNRWA confirmed that one in ten children screened at its clinics is malnourished, citing the intensified Israeli siege imposed on March 2.
As international outrage builds, the humanitarian community continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded access to aid, warning that Gaza’s children are facing a generational catastrophe.
