Following the Israeli military order to evacuate Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, 13-year-old Malek Al Kafarna fled south with his parents, 7-year-old brother, and 14-year-old sister. They first sought refuge in Jabalia refugee camp, then moved to Al-Shati refugee camp before eventually settling in Deir al-Balah, hoping for safety. However, on October 24, 2023, when Malek and his mother were at the central market in Nuseirat refugee camp, waiting for food coupons, an Israeli strike hit the market, blowing off Malek’s left arm. Malek waited for hours before receiving medical assistance due to an overwhelmed healthcare system, staff shortages, and lack of medical supplies.

Malek is just one of thousands of children in Gaza who have acquired a disability from injuries caused by explosive weapons since October 7, 2023. Before then, 98 000 children in Gaza between the ages of 2 and 17 already had a disability and were now encountering enormous difficulties to survive. Ghazal, a 14-year-old with cerebral palsy, had to flee from the north to the south of Gaza without her assistive devices, which she had lost in an attack that struck her family’s home. As of early May, Ghazal was displaced in a tent in Rafah, without proper and dignified access to water, food, and sanitation, or access to school and the physiotherapy she received prior to October 7. The challenges faced by Ghazal highlight some of the unique risks faced by children with disabilities in Gaza.

Report by the Human Rights Watch