The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med) has warned that Israeli military aggression in Gaza is causing a dramatic increase in disabilities among Palestinians, with 30 people acquiring varying degrees of permanent or temporary impairment daily.

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According to Euro-Med, over 22 months of conflict, roughly 21,000 Palestinians have sustained permanent or temporary disabilities, representing a 35 percent increase compared to pre-war figures.

The organization also noted that dozens of disabled individuals detained by the Israeli military during its ground operations face life-threatening conditions and torture, and their current whereabouts remain unknown.

Euro-Med highlighted that the Israeli army has employed explosive weapons in residential areas, attacked medical facilities, and obstructed rescue efforts for those trapped under rubble, resulting in significant numbers of injuries, disabilities, and amputations. The organization concluded that this unprecedented rise in disabilities reflects a deliberate method of causing harm to the Palestinian population, describing it as a component of collective genocidal crimes.

Children have been particularly affected. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that thousands of children in Gaza have acquired disabilities from injuries caused by explosive weapons since October 7, 2023. Prior to this escalation, 98,000 children in Gaza already lived with some form of disability.

Since October 7, 2023, at least 61,944 Palestinians have been killed and 155,886 injured. The crisis has been further exacerbated by an Israeli blockade restricting the entry of humanitarian aid, intensifying the challenges faced by the population, particularly those with disabilities.

The Global Protection Cluster, an international network coordinating protection in crisis situations, emphasized that people with disabilities in Gaza face immense, continuous challenges and require constant support to meet basic needs.

Euro-Med’s findings underscore the humanitarian dimension of the Gaza conflict, highlighting the severe, ongoing impact on civilians, especially children and people with disabilities, and stressing the urgent need for international humanitarian intervention.

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