Thousands of children in Gaza need ongoing prosthetic care after losing limbs in the war. Rehabilitation services and supplies are limited, and specialists say young amputees need regular follow-up, adjustments and replacement prostheses as they grow.
An eight-year-old boy lost his right leg to shrapnel in June 2025 while his family tried to flee after an airstrike. He was evacuated to Jordan and fitted with an above-the-knee prosthesis in November 2025, but he returned to Gaza last December before finishing the recommended rehabilitation programme. The prosthesis no longer fits and causes pain, so he now uses crutches and a wheelchair and sometimes avoids school.
Local clinics report shortages of materials and trained staff. Aid groups call for reliable supplies, more prosthetists and long-term international support.
Difficult words
- prosthesis — An artificial limb to replace a missing leg or armprostheses
- rehabilitation — Medical and therapy work to help recovery
- amputee — A person who lost part of a limbamputees
- evacuate — To move someone away from dangerevacuated
- shrapnel — Small metal pieces from an explosion
- shortage — A lack of something needed for workshortages
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Discussion questions
- How might a child feel when a prosthesis causes pain and does not fit?
- Why is regular follow-up important for young amputees?
- What help do local clinics and aid groups ask for in the article?
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