Gaza City, December 4 (RHC)-- Israel’s systematic campaign of genocide in Gaza has caused “an epidemic of traumatic injuries” with no rehabilitation services available, says Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

"During this war, people needing special care have suffered in silence. Their stories rarely told," he said in a post on X on Tuesday.  Gaza now has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, with many undergoing amputations without anesthesia, Lazzarini said.

In similar remarks on Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that many Gaza children were “losing limbs and undergoing surgeries without even anesthesia.”  He further warned the conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza may amount to the “gravest international crimes.”

“Malnutrition is rampant... Famine is imminent.  Meanwhile, the health system has collapsed.”

According to the World Health Organization, one in four Palestinians injured in Israel's military offensive in Gaza have suffered life-changing injuries and will require rehabilitation services.

The healthcare system in Gaza, already fragile before the war, has been further crippled by the destruction of hospitals and clinics.  This has left countless individuals, especially children, with disabilities, without critical medical care, rehabilitation services, and access to necessary assistive devices like wheelchairs and prosthetics.