The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reported that more than 30 Palestinians suffer permanent or temporary disabilities daily in the Gaza Strip as part of the ongoing genocide committed by Israel since October 7, 2023. The number of people with disabilities in Gaza has increased by approximately 35% over 22 months of the genocide compared to before it began. This is a direct result of deliberate Israeli attacks targeting civilians, with the Israeli army using excessive, systematic, and widespread force. The Israeli military employed highly destructive weapons causing numerous deaths, injuries, permanent disabilities, and severe physical and psychological suffering among thousands of Palestinians, as part of a systematic destructive policy constituting an integral part of the ongoing genocide. Among approximately 156,000 Palestinians injured during Israeli attacks over 681 days, more than 21,000 were documented with permanent or temporary disabilities, a very high percentage.

This reflects the use of high destructive capacity weapons including cluster munitions, heavy explosives, and guided missiles targeting populated areas, leading to amputations, physical deformities, and serious brain and sensory injuries causing permanent disabilities. Before the genocide began on October 7, 2023, the number of people with disabilities in Gaza was estimated at about 58,000. Since then, 21,000 new cases of permanent and temporary disabilities have been recorded in less than 23 months, raising the rate to about 3.4% of the total population, directly due to prohibited acts by Israel within the context of the ongoing genocide. The number before October 2023 was not natural or only related to health or genetic causes but mainly resulted from repeated Israeli assaults over the years. The field team documented 8,700 cases of permanent disability, including 4,800 amputations, 1,200 paralysis cases, 1,200 cases of blindness, and 1,500 other disabilities such as loss of speech, hearing, and disabilities caused by major burns.

The increase in amputations is also due to the collapse of the health system targeted systematically by Israel, limiting timely care. The Israeli army arrested dozens of disabled persons during continuous ground incursions in various Gaza areas. Disabled prisoners in Israeli jails suffer lethal and inhumane conditions, including physical and psychological torture and deprivation of basic human rights, including medical care, with no accurate information on their fate. The Monitor called on the international community to urgently act to stop the genocide, hold Israeli officials accountable before international and national courts, provide urgent humanitarian support to disabled Palestinians in Gaza including treatment, prosthetics, psychological care, rehabilitation services, rebuilding specialized facilities destroyed by Israel, ensuring entry of medical devices and surgical supplies, and sustainable social and economic support programs to guarantee their basic rights to dignity and independent living.

It urged all countries to assume their legal responsibilities and act to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza and lift the illegal siege, the only way to stop the accelerating humanitarian deterioration and ensure aid access. Any delay in lifting the siege constitutes continued grave violations of international humanitarian law and worsens catastrophic uncontrollable effects. The Monitor also called for economic, diplomatic, and military sanctions on Israel for its systematic and serious violations of international law, freezing financial assets of Israeli officials involved in crimes against Palestinians, travel bans, and suspension of trade privileges and bilateral agreements granting Israel economic advantages enabling continued crimes against Palestinians.