Four month-old Mohammed Al-Khatib is being treated in intensive care in Gaza after an Israeli air strike killed his mother and left him with severe injuries that have already led to the amputation of one foot, according to relatives and medical staff.

Family members said the child was in his mother’s arms when their home was hit during the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza. Rescue teams reportedly recovered him from beneath the rubble with critical wounds. Doctors are now attempting to save one of his hands, which relatives say remains at risk because of the extent of the injuries and the lack of specialised medical resources available inside the territory.

Mohammed’s grandmother has since taken responsibility for caring for him inside a hospital struggling to cope with the growing number of casualties. His uncle said the infant has undergone multiple procedures and urgently requires treatment outside Gaza. He warned that delays to medical evacuation could result in further amputations.

Health officials in Gaza say thousands of Palestinians injured during the genocidal war have undergone amputations, with children accounting for a significant proportion of the cases. International humanitarian organisations have repeatedly raised concerns over the pressure facing Gaza’s healthcare system, pointing to shortages of medicines, equipment and specialist surgical care.

Hospitals across the territory continue to operate under severe strain as large numbers of wounded civilians remain in need of long-term treatment, rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery.