Disability support in Gaza as impact of war still a daily reality
The World Health Organisation has estimated that over 10,000 children in Gaza have sustained life-changing injuries in the recent war. Thousands more have chronic conditions and disabilities that have deteriorated over the last two years because they’ve been unable to access the medical support they need. The ceasefire has reduced the immediate dangers and brought some measure of stability, but for these children, who are living with its catastrophic consequences, the war is still a daily reality.
Embrace partners with one of few providers of disability rehabilitative care in Gaza
With so many hospitals damaged and medical supplies remaining chronically short, the healthcare system is still only able to operate at a fraction of its pre-war capacity. Today, the satellite unit of our partner the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre (JPBC) at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City is one of the few places where children with disabilities can get the treatment and rehabilitation they need.
The team of specialists have remained steadfast in providing vital care, throughout the war – giving assessments and treatment even when displaced and facing famine conditions themselves. They told us how immense the challenges have been:
“Every day requires persistence, creativity, and a profound commitment to the belief that care must continue, even in crisis… The priority remains constant: protecting each child’s progress and supporting parents who were carrying heavy emotional and physical burdens…
September 2025, when airstrikes in Gaza City intensified, was a particularly difficult time:
”The team was separated during weeks of intense bombardment. Each therapist lived in fear, unsure whether their colleagues, or the families they served, were safe. Their eventual reunion became a powerful reminder of their shared purpose and vision.”
The JPBC team of specialists have provided vital care throughout the war, giving assessments and treatment even when displaced themselves.
Trauma and nutrition specialists added to team to meet urgent needs
From the safety of the UK, it has been hard to watch the unfolding events from the sidelines, but we are proud to play what part we can. The generosity of Embrace’s supporters has meant we have been able to help JPBC fund their work and expand the Gaza team to include a new speech & language therapist and social worker. JPBC also used Embrace funds to recruit two more specialists to meet the specific needs that the catastrophic situation in Gaza caused.
They began by recuiting a play specialist to deliver essential mental health intervention, as the team found that more and more children were presenting with severe psychological trauma from the horrors they had lived through. In many cases, this was stopping the children from being able to engage fully in the physical therapies and severely hampering the progress they could make.
As starvation spread across Gaza, many of the children they were treating began exhibiting the symptoms of malnourishment and vitamin deficiency. In response, they added a nutritionist to help diagnose conditions and give families support and treatment.
The team, that numbered just 4 specialists at the beginning of the war, has now grown to 9.
Providing stability amid continuing fear and exhaustion
Living conditions across Gaza remain extremely harsh. Recent heavy winter rains have flooded displacement camps, access to drinking water remains limited and the continued instability means violence and danger are still ever-present threats. Every day, parents face the challenge of keeping their families safe. Amid this uncertainty, the JPBC unit is a place not just of medical care but of stability and support.
Mayada* gave birth to her daughter Hana* while displaced in the south of Gaza. Hana was born prematurely and with cerebral palsy. She needed intensive physiotherapy, but for months Mayada could not find any treatment for her daughter.
“I was so tired before I arrived here, moving from place to place looking for support for my daughter. Now I feel at rest here. Thank God all will be well. This place means everything to me.”
Hana had very limited movement, but since starting treatment at JPBC she is now making significant progress.
Hana receiving treatment at the JPBC unit in Gaza City
The unit is somewhere children can concentrate on positive steps and celebrate achievements; it is a space of safety and comparative normality. Yousif, the team’s physiotherapist, told us:
“Despite fear and exhaustion, children still come to therapy with determination. Their determination gives us the strength to keep going, no matter how difficult the circumstances are.”
A committed service despite Gaza’s uncertain future
The ceasefire has meant more families feel able to travel to seek treatment and the team tell us that the needs across Gaza are vast and increasingly complex.
Food levels have risen in Gaza in the last few months, but the effects of malnutrition and unbalanced diets can cause long-term health complications, particularly for children with disabilities and chronic conditions that compromise the immune system.
The team paint a stark picture of the emotional symptoms they are encountering:
“[There are] unparalleled levels of trauma and distress … with fearful, angry and withdrawn children unable to sleep, speak, play and participate in life.”
Work is already in progress to increase the team’s psychosocial support, and they are also looking into ways to offer specialist care for children who’ve suffered burns.
JPBC team in Gaza.
As President Trump continues to push for his vision of what the next stage of governance for Gaza will look like, the future remains uncertain. Whatever political steps are made, the JPBC team remain committed to their mission of service:
“We look to 2026 with hope, courage, and determination. Amid uncertainty and harsh conditions, our commitment is unshakeable. The courage of our staff, the resilience of families navigating life’s challenges with dignity and hope, and the generosity of our friends and supporters who walk alongside us mean that together, we illuminate a path of growth, transformation, and possibility.”
*Names changed.
GAZA CRISIS APPEAL
The long-term damage in Gaza on a physical, psychological and structural level is immense. Embrace’s partners have been providing vital humanitarian support throughout the war. Your gift will help them continue to do so.
