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People with Disabilities in Gaza: Victims of Genocide
Since October 7, 2023, the Gaza Strip has been subjected to unprecedented military attacks by the Israeli occupation forces from land, sea, and air. This came after a number of Hamas fighters breached the separation barrier between Gaza and Israel. The disproportionate Israeli military response has resulted in tens of thousands of civilian casualties and widespread destruction of infrastructure in Gaza. Among the most severely affected groups by these attacks are people with disabilities.
Pre-Genocide Statistics: A Grim Reality and Israeli Responsibility
Before the ongoing genocide in Gaza, statistics indicated that people with disabilities constituted approximately 2.1% of the total population of Palestine, with an estimated 115,000 individuals—around 59,000 in the West Bank (1.8% of the total population) and approximately 58,000 in Gaza (2.6% of Gaza’s total population). Among adults aged 18 and above, disability prevalence stood at 3%, with 2.6% in the West Bank and 3.9% in Gaza. Disability rates varied significantly by governorate, with North Gaza recording the highest prevalence at around 5%, followed by Deir al-Balah at 4.1%.
Due to the continuous Israeli military attacks on Gaza, and given that these attacks fail to adhere to even the most basic standards of international humanitarian law, the number of people with disabilities in Gaza has been rising sharply. Between 2007 and 2017, the number of individuals with disabilities in Gaza doubled from 24,608 to 48,140. The officially registered number of people with disabilities reached 55,538, with mobility impairments accounting for 47% of cases. Israeli military actions and wars in Gaza were responsible for causing mobility impairments in approximately 2,000 adults (9% of all mobility-impaired adults) and around 3% of children under 18. Notably, Israeli actions and wars have directly contributed to at least one disability in approximately 6% of individuals aged 18 and above.
A Rapidly Growing Community of People with Disabilities
The ongoing genocide in Gaza has had a devastating impact on people with disabilities. Israeli military operations have systematically violated international law, leading to the displacement of nearly 1.9 million people from their homes. One of the deliberate war crimes committed by the Israeli army has been the targeted attacks on people with disabilities, including the use of internationally prohibited weapons, resulting in a surge in disability cases.
Gaza, which has endured an ongoing blockade for 16 years, has become a battleground where the struggles of people with disabilities are exacerbated. According to UN estimates, more than 15% of internally displaced persons in Gaza suffer from either temporary or permanent disabilities due to Israel’s continued failure to abide by UN resolutions protecting civilians with disabilities during armed conflicts and wars.
Human rights and governmental estimates suggest that between 20,000 and 30,000 additional individuals have acquired disabilities due to the ongoing war on Gaza. Among them, over 5,000 have been classified as permanently disabled, while the remainder suffer from temporary disabilities requiring urgent medical and psychological intervention. Organizations specializing in disability rights have confirmed that the genocide in Gaza has disrupted their work and cooperation with international institutions that provide protection and rehabilitation services. Severe restrictions on the evacuation of patients, limited entry of assistive devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, and hearing aids, and a dire shortage of medical supplies have further compounded the suffering of people with disabilities, especially children and women.
The plight of disabled children in Gaza is particularly severe. Over 1,000 children have undergone amputations, with some losing one or both legs. The increase in amputations is linked to the Israeli military’s use of new types of weaponry, as well as the overwhelming number of daily casualties, which has overburdened Gaza’s healthcare system. The shortage of medical equipment needed for treating such injuries, coupled with delays in transferring wounded individuals to hospitals, has resulted in permanent disabilities for many.
Families of People with Disabilities: The Extended Suffering
By May 2024, UNRWA reports indicated that more than one in five families in Gaza had at least one member who had become disabled. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics officially recorded 58,000 people with disabilities in its database.
Healthcare facilities catering to people with disabilities have not been spared from the Israeli onslaught. Human rights reports have confirmed that Israeli forces deliberately targeted numerous medical and humanitarian facilities providing services to people with disabilities. Among the institutions destroyed were the Sheikh Hamad Rehabilitation and Prosthetics Hospital, Al-Wafa Medical Rehabilitation Hospital, the Medical Relief Assistive Devices Center, the headquarters of the General Union of Persons with Disabilities in North Gaza, and the Hope City for Capacity Building under the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Many associations working in disability rehabilitation also suffered significant destruction, including the Beach Rest House, a facility adapted for people with disabilities, which now requires complete reconstruction.
Under International Law: A War Crime
The international community has long placed special emphasis on the protection of people with disabilities, particularly during armed conflicts. This commitment is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which aims to promote, protect, and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by individuals with disabilities while upholding their inherent dignity.
During armed conflicts, Article 11 of the convention explicitly states that "States Parties shall take, in accordance with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of persons with disabilities in situations of risk, including armed conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, and natural disasters." However, Israel has blatantly disregarded these obligations and continues to commit systematic violations against people with disabilities in Gaza.
This was highlighted by attorney and human rights activist Yahya Muhareb of the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights in his discussion with the Palestinian Internal Displacement Observatory. He pointed out numerous deliberate violations against people with disabilities in Gaza, noting that the number of individuals with disabilities before the genocide was around 58,000, constituting 2.6% of Gaza’s total population. Due to the complex violations committed by Israeli forces, this number has dramatically increased.
Displacement and Disability: A Double Tragedy
Mohammed Abu Kamil, a member of the physically disabled community in Gaza, described the extreme challenges faced by people with disabilities in displacement centers. He explained that their greatest struggle is the lack of access to basic necessities such as food, water, and electricity. Many lost their assistive devices, including electric wheelchairs and visual aids, during their forced displacement. The intentional power outages imposed by Israel for over a year have further exacerbated the suffering of those who rely on electric wheelchairs.
Hind, a woman with a hearing impairment, recounted the harrowing experiences of evacuations under bombardment. “When I fled from northern Gaza to the south, I lost my hearing aid at the checkpoint. Due to the lack of medical supplies, I endured countless airstrikes without knowing when or where they would hit. I could feel the ground shaking beneath me, but I had no way of knowing what was happening. Many others like me were running in panic, completely unaware of the danger around them. The occupier does not care about our suffering.”
For people with disabilities, forced displacement is a nightmare. Those with mobility, auditory, visual, or cognitive impairments face immense difficulties as they attempt to flee. In an environment where everyone is struggling for survival, their chances of receiving assistance are slim. The widespread destruction of streets and infrastructure further hinders their ability to escape, particularly in the absence of prior warnings.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics estimates that more than 150,000 civilians have been affected by the ongoing war, with 26,140 people acquiring disabilities, representing 25% of those needing long-term rehabilitation. Despite international humanitarian and human rights laws ensuring the protection of people with disabilities in conflict zones, Israel continues to violate these protections, bearing full responsibility for the suffering inflicted on Gaza’s disabled population since October 7, 2023.
