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OVERVIEW
The Israeli forces’ aerial strikes, ground offensive, and blockade of Gaza that followed the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023 have had a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities. These attacks have exposed them to various protection risks, especially separation from their primary caregivers and assistive devices, preventing them from fleeing and finding safe shelter. They also face additional challenges in accessing water, food, and medicine (OHCHR 20/11/2023; HRW 01/11/2023).
People with disabilities are considered more vulnerable to the impact of conflicts because they face greater barriers to accessing safety and humanitarian assistance than many others. This puts them at increased risk of serious injuries, death, sexual assault, and other forms of harm (HRW 01/11/2023). In long-lasting armed conflicts, disability prevalence is significantly high.
Latest developments in the Gaza Strip
Since 2 February 2024, the Israeli forces have attacked Rafah city, the last refuge on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, where over two million displaced people have moved after it was designated as a ‘safe zone’. Rafah is the only city with access to the limited food and medical aid trickling across the border. Between 2-4 February 2024, it was reported that more than 234 people, mostly women and children, were killed in overnight bombings in the city (The Guardian 04/02/2024; France 24 03/02/2024; OCHA 04/02/2024). On 12 February it was reported that between 67 to 100 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes as warplanes targeted different areas of the city of Rafah (Al Jazeera 12/02/2024). With the recent attacks, people are afraid of dying or having to climb the border to Egypt, which is currently closed to people’s movement (VOA 02/02/2024; Reuters 02/02/2024).
Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis was among the essential infrastructures attacked on 2 February; as at 6 February, almost 100 people remained inside the ailing hospital, including older patients and others with disabilities who could not be moved (UN 06/02/2024). The humanitarian response is likely to decrease, as interventions suffer interference and delays by the Israeli forces and humanitarian staff and sites receive more threats to their safety (OCHA 05/02/2024).
KEY MESSAGES
• As at 12 February 2024, the Ministry of Health reported that the impact of the attacks had killed at least 28,400 Palestinians in Gaza and injured almost 68,000 (OCHA 12/02/2024).
Some estimated that over 5,000 injured Palestinians were living with a disability. These figures are expected to increase significantly as the conflict continues (OCHA 07/01/2024;
EMM 07/12/2023).
• The current precise number of people with disabilities is unknown, but prior to 7 October, 21% of households in Gaza had at least one member with a disability. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), this amounted to approximately 58,000 people with disabilities (PCBS 03/12/2023; OCHA/REACH 07/09/2022). Since 7 October, more than 1,000 children are estimated to have lost a limb in Gaza. This translates to around ten children losing a limb per day (Al Jazeera 01/02/2024; STC 07/01/2024).
• On 13 October 2023, Israeli forces instructed all civilians in northern Gaza to evacuate to the south without considering the specific needs of people with disabilities (HRW 01/11/2023). These people face barriers in fleeing, identifying a safe place to stay, and accessing essential needs, such as water, food, and medicine. They are in dire need of assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers, and hearing aids (HRW 01/11/2023; ICRC 11/2022; Rotenberg et al. 10/01/2024; OCHA/REACH 07/09/2022).
• The frequent forced displacement of people, volunteers, and humanitarian staff makes it difficult to provide services to people in need or follow up services. Despite organisations being able to identify people in need, they usually do not have enough time to prepare and provide aid before the people are forcibly displaced again (KII 08/02/2024).
• People with disabilities face higher protection risks and are more likely to be exposed to death and injuries in insecure areas because they face more physical or cognitive challenges when identifying or fleeing attacks. They also face barriers to accessing information (KII 06/02/2024; HRW 01/11/2023).
• The Israeli forces have been ignoring human rights conventions protecting people with disabilities in armed conflict since 7 October. The Israeli military has established ‘safe zones’, but access to these areas has been inconsistent, and the information for evacuation and safe zones is not communicated to be inclusive of people with disabilities.
The zones have also been attacked and lack access to basic services regardless of their designation (Arab News 21/01/2024; PBS 07/12/2023).
• The lack of inclusive humanitarian assistance, such as shelter, food, water, and medical support, severely affects the physical and mental health situation of people with disabilities (Diakonia IHL Centre 03/12/2021; PCBS 03/12/2023; HI 03/11/2023).