Palestinians transport casualties of a reported Israeli drone attack in Deir al-Balah, to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza Strip on October 2, 2025. (Photo by BASHAR TALEB / AFP)
Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that approximately 42,000 people in the Gaza Strip have suffered life-changing injuries due to the ongoing conflict, a quarter of which have occurred among children.
According to a report published Thursday by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO), life-changing injuries constitute a quarter of the total reported injuries, totaling 167,376 people injured since October 2023, with more than 5,000 people having undergone amputations.
It added that other severe injuries, including arm and leg injuries, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and major burns, are widespread, increasing the need for specialized surgical and rehabilitation services and profoundly impacting patients and their families throughout Gaza.
The report also highlighted the prevalence of complex facial and eye injuries, particularly among patients scheduled for medical evacuation outside Gaza. These conditions often lead to disfigurement, disability, and social stigma.
Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said during a press conference that two years of conflict have devastated the health system and inflicted significant suffering on Palestinians.
He added that the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza is massive and will take a long time to rebuild while the damage to people's physical and mental health is even worse.
