Palestinian pediatrician Khaled al-Saidani continues carrying out his duties, navigating Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the Gaza Strip and providing medical care for little children injured during the Israeli war, despite having a prosthetic leg and an aluminum walker. 

Saidani is deeply familiar with the devastating effects of wartime injuries, having lost his right leg after an Israeli airstrike struck his home last year.

"I was injured by shrapnel, and because I am diabetic, things got worse for me, and we had to amputate my leg," he shared with AFP at the hospital in central Gaza.

Despite challenges, he remains resilient. Although the prosthetic "is tiring and has several downsides,  I'm able to move and walk," he said while checking on a patient.

Al-Aqsa Hospital, especially its general ward, is filled with patients and their families, many seeking treatment for injuries caused by Israeli strikes. 

On several occasions throughout the war, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital came under Israeli attack, compromising its services and endangering not only patients and medical staff but also displaced Palestinians seeking refuge in what was supposed to be a safe location. 

The attacks on the hospital's grounds began in January 2024, occurring on multiple dates: January 10, March 31, July 22, August 4, September 5, September 27, October 7, October 14, and most recently, November 9. The Government Media Office condemned these repeated strikes, asserting that Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital is a civilian-protected facility under international law.

Read more: 4,500 amputations reported in Gaza since start of war: Health official