Israeli aggression leaves 10,000 Palestinians disabled in Gaza: NGO
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Displaced people with disabilities confront enormous challenges in overcrowded and under-equipped shelters that lack basic amenities.
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Palestinians help a disabled man during confrontations with IOF near the Gaza border on December 22, 2017. (AFP)
The Palestinian NGO Network Rehabilitation Sector has issued a warning about the severe repercussions of "Israel's" continued and worsening onslaught on Gaza.
On day 267 of the genocide in Gaza, the number of Palestinians killed rose to 37,834 and those injured to 86,858 amid the brutal Israeli onslaught on the Strip, according to the daily report published by the Health Ministry in Gaza.
"Israel" committed three massacres in 24 hours, killing 40 Palestinians and injuring 224 others.
While some were transported to partially functioning hospitals, many victims remain stuck beneath the rubble with rescue crews being unable to reach them.
According to the organization, around 10,000 Palestinians have developed various disabilities as a result of the attacks.
The NGO reported that the aggression has driven tens of thousands of disabled people to escape, subjecting them to difficult living circumstances and serious psychological damage, according to the organization.
The statement noted that Israeli destruction of infrastructure, important roadways, and rehabilitation facilities has severely limited the movement and access to services for people with disabilities. This has substantially reduced their capacity to evacuate safely and has resulted in the loss of critical assistive devices left behind amid the bombardment.
In addition, the lives of people with disabilities are jeopardized owing to severe shortages of water, food, energy, drugs, and medical and rehabilitation facilities. Displaced people with disabilities confront enormous challenges in overcrowded and under-equipped shelters that lack basic amenities, further limiting their access to humanitarian supplies, sanitary facilities, and other necessities.
The organization emphasized that the inability to provide disabled-friendly shelters, along with congestion, creates an additional barrier to accessing already scarce services. People with disabilities are especially prone to hunger and chronic diseases, which dramatically raises their risk of death.
US responsible for continued Israeli starvation policy in Gaza: Hamas
The situation in Gaza has become tragic, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan emphasized on Saturday, warning of imminent casualties due to food shortages, which are pushing the Strip toward famine.
During a press conference touching on the developments of the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, Hamdan said UN estimates indicate that 70% of Gaza's population is at risk of famine, adding that "Israel's" policy of siege, through the blocking of crossings, has led to a liquidity (cash) crisis exacerbating the famine crisis in Gaza.
He highlighted that Israeli occupation forces are systematically destroying roads, water networks, and sewage systems, denying the people of Gaza access to drinking water.
The Palestinian official pointed out that the Israeli government ignores notifications from humanitarian organizations, which makes relief work extremely dangerous, emphasizing that the Israeli occupation's measures resemble an advanced form of "Nazi detention and extermination camps, even worse."
Hamdan considered "Israel's" policy of starvation in Gaza as one of the brutal methods of warfare targeting innocent civilians, making it tantamount to genocide, adding that "Israel's" policies in cutting electricity and water constitute acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The official stressed that the floating pier constructed by the United States in Gaza is nothing but bad propaganda and has not helped in delivering aid, noting that aid has rather decreased since its establishment.
