In Gaza, four siblings living with paralysis are confronting life-threatening conditions as the ongoing Israeli siege and military operations block access to food, medicine, and essential care. Abu Mohammed, their father, who was displaced from Rafah and now resides in Deir al-Balah, described the struggle as a burden “mountains would struggle to carry,” with his children growing frail and developing skin ulcers due to malnutrition and lack of medication.

Medical experts warn that Gaza’s severe shortage of assistive devices, including wheelchairs and limb supports, leaves only 5% of patients adequately equipped. Hospital capacity has been overwhelmed by over 300%, as two of the three facilities providing inpatient care are out of service due to the assault.

The Ministry of Health reports that 18,500 patients in Gaza require long-term treatment, with another 22,000 needing urgent care abroad. For families like Abu Mohammed’s, the combination of paralysis, malnutrition, and restricted medical access has turned everyday survival into a perilous struggle, highlighting the human toll of the siege on Gaza’s most vulnerable.