An international humanitarian organisation has warned that Israeli-imposed limits on movement and medical evacuations are stopping roughly 1,100 children in Gaza who have suffered amputations from accessing treatment abroad. The NGO said the curbs affect referrals for complex care, rehabilitation and prosthetic services that are not readily available inside the territory.
The organisation said travel permits and approvals for medical evacuations have been delayed or denied, leaving families and treating clinicians unable to arrange specialist surgery and long-term rehabilitation outside Gaza. It added that the restrictions have compounded existing strains on Gaza’s health system, which has limited capacity to provide comprehensive post-amputation care for a large number of young patients.
Humanitarian groups have repeatedly stressed that children with limb loss require timely multidisciplinary care — including reconstructive surgery, fitting of prosthetic limbs, physiotherapy and psychosocial support — to reduce long-term disability. The NGO called for urgent easing of travel and evacuation rules to allow those needs to be addressed, saying delays risk permanent impairment and reduce prospects for recovery and reintegration.
Israeli authorities say security considerations affect the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza. The NGO urged parties and international intermediaries to facilitate medical referrals and to ensure safe and predictable access for patients who need care abroad. The appeal highlighted the broader challenge of delivering specialised medical services during periods of heightened restrictions and conflict, and the particular vulnerability of children who face lifelong consequences if comprehensive treatment is not provided.