Gaza has more child amputees than anywhere else on earth

Children in Gaza have been bombed out of their homes. Almost all have lost loved ones. Many have lost their arms or legs.

The deadly threats children and their families face are endless. 

82% of hospitals have been completely destroyed or badly damaged and life-saving medicines like antibiotics are in short supply.

Thousands of injured children are at risk of dying from infections that could be treated – but only if help arrives in time.

UNICEF has scaled-up efforts to restock hospitals, deliver emergency health kits, and provide cash transfers to families so they can buy essential supplies. But the need in Gaza is immense – more than 1 million children need help today.

A child’s life shouldn’t end because medicine runs out. Your support today can save these children and get them on the road to recovery. You can provide the medicine they need to heal, and the long-term care every child deserves.

After a bombing near her home, 4-year-old Elia suffered severe burns that meant her leg and some of her fingers had to be amputated. Tragically, her mother was also killed. Elia will need ongoing, long-term care and psychosocial support.

You can help restock hospitals with life-saving medicines and supplies. 

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A lack of supplies in Gaza’s hospitals meant Ritaj’s leg repeatedly became infected after an amputation. With ongoing support from people like you, UNICEF can restock hospitals and help injured children like Ritaj recover.

 

Ritaj has endured three operations – she needs urgent medical care 

Like any little girl, all eight-year-old Ritaj wants is to hug her mum and play with her brother and sisters. But because of a war she didn’t start, she can’t do any of those things anymore.

Ritaj’s mum, dad, brother, sisters, uncles, and grandmother where all killed in a bombing.

The attack took her leg too. And without urgent help, it may still take her life.

She has already gone through three painful surgeries. But if the doctors can’t bring the infection under control, they will have to amputate even more of her leg. And without medicine, clean dressings and bandages, she may not survive. 

15 months of war have decimated hospitals. There is a critical shortage of these life-saving supplies. Hospitals need to be restocked now if children are to survive their horrifying injuries.

With your support, UNICEF can deliver these essential, life-saving medicines and supplies. You can help restock hospitals so children like Ritaj not only survive but get on the road to recovery.

Depleted hospitals in Gaza need essential medicines now if children are to survive.

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You can help restock hospitals and save injured children

  • • Over 82% of hospitals in Gaza have been badly damaged or completely destroyed.
  • • More than 25,000 children have been injured during the war, with 6,200 likely now disabled.
  • • 90% of young children are affected by infectious diseases that can be deadly.
  • • Over 90% of people in Gaza have been forced to flee their homes.

Children in Gaza need both urgent help now and support for months to come. By giving regularly, you can help them on every step of their road to recovery.

Ibrahim, 13, was badly injured in a bombing. His hand quickly became infected. Without medicine, gangrene took hold. The hospital did not have any anaesthetic, but to save his life, Ibrahim’s arm had to be amputated. The suffering he endured during the operation without anaesthetic is unimaginable. Your support today can help provide counselling and medical care for traumatised and injured children like Ibrahim. 

How your support will help

   

Restocking hospitals:

You can help keep hospitals stocked with medicines and supplies to save children’s lives. Children like three-year-old Ahmad, pictured above, whose leg had to be amputated after it was injured in a missile attack. Your support today can ensure hospitals are well supplied with essential medicines to save the lives of children like Ahmad and allow them to recover over the long-term.

Providing emergency health kits:

When her home was shelled, 15-year-old Abrar, pictured above, suffered a shrapnel wound to her eye that causes constant tears. Your support today can help give injured children like Abrar ongoing treatment and care with emergency health kits, that include sterile gauze and dressings, bandages, medical tape, scissors, a thermometer, ibuprofen, latex gloves and antiseptic solution.

Giving cash transfers:

You can help families on their road to recovery with cash transfers. Amid the devastation in Gaza, Alaa, shown above with her baby, is battling to keep her children alive. She uses digital/mobile cash transfers from UNICEF to buy milk, nap­pies, fruit, vegetables and cooking gas. Cash transfers are funds UNICEF gives to families in emergencies so they can buy what they need for their children – from cooking oil, to shelter or restarting a livelihood.

 

 Together, we can help children in Gaza rediscover the love, care, and safety they deserve – and help them rebuild their lives and dreams.

Transform Children's Lives

Other Ways to Donate

You can make a donation by phone by calling 01 878 3000, from Monday to Friday between 9:00 – 5:30pm.

You can send your donation by post to

Freepost; UNICEF Ireland, 33 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin D01 R283.

In signing up to Gaza’s Road to Recovery, you’ll be setting up a monthly donation to UNICEF. During the first 6 months, your donation will go directly towards Gaza. In return you’ll receive monthly emails about how your gift is being used and the life-saving impact it is making for children.

After 6 months, your monthly gift will continue, and will go to where it’s needed most, helping children in crises around the world.

In the unlikely event that the funds raised exceed UNICEF’s funding requirements for this appeal, your donation will be directed to where the need is greatest.

Razan, 11, lost her mum, dad and three brothers after her neighbourhood was bombed. Her left leg was seriously injured, and doctors were forced to amputate it. “We were waiting for a taxi to evacuate us from our neighbourhood, suddenly an explosion occurred, and I woke up to find myself in the hospital,” Razan said. “Becoming an orphan has turned my life upside down. I wish that I could get good treatment that would help me live my life as normal as it can be again.” Your support today can ensure children like Razan can get that treatment, and recover a normal life. 
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