Meet the Children: Inside HEAL Palestine’s Amputee Program

Across Gaza, a growing number of children are living with life-altering amputations caused by war, injury, and the collapse of access to timely medical care. Emergency surgeries save lives, but they are only the beginning. What follows is a long, complex process that requires years of rehabilitation, prosthetic care, psychological support, and stability.

HEAL Palestine’s Amputee Program was created to respond to this reality, not as a short-term intervention, but as a cross-pillar program that integrates Health, Education, Aid, and Leadership into a single, coordinated model of care.

This is not only about helping a child walk again. It is about rebuilding a life.

A Cross-Pillar Approach to Long-Term Recovery

Amputation recovery is not one-dimensional. A prosthetic limb alone is not enough without rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is not enough without mental health support. And none of it is sustainable without stability at home and access to education.

HEAL Palestine’s approach reflects this complexity:

• Health: Prosthetic design, fittings, surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical monitoring
• Education: Ensuring children remain in school or return to learning during recovery
• Aid: Supporting families with essential needs so children can focus on healing
• Leadership: Building long-term pathways, including treatment abroad and reintegration into society

This integrated structure ensures that care does not stop after the first intervention. It continues as children grow, adapt, and rebuild their independence.

The Reality Behind the Program

The children enrolled in the Amputee Program are not cases, they are individuals navigating profoundly different realities.

Alaa, 15

Alaa lost his right leg below the knee after a gunshot injury. He adapted to a prosthetic limb and worked hard to regain mobility, eventually returning to daily life and even participating in amputee football matches where he stood out for his talent and determination.

During the war, his prosthetic limb was damaged, leaving him unable to walk independently again. Despite this setback, Alaa continues to push forward, demonstrating that recovery is not a one-time milestone but an ongoing process that requires continuous support and access to updated prosthetic care.

Farah, 15

Farah lost her right leg at a young age after being directly targeted. She underwent a long rehabilitation journey, learning how to stand and walk again with a prosthetic limb. She returned to school and rebuilt a sense of normal life.

In 2023, she was injured again, this time in her left leg, suffering severe bone damage that left her unable to walk once more. Today, Farah faces a second and more complex recovery process. Her determination remains unchanged, she is committed to standing and walking again despite the setbacks.

Ghada, 8

Ghada’s life changed after repeated displacement and an attack while sheltering in a school, which led to the amputation of her right arm. The experience caused deep emotional distress, and returning to school came with additional challenges, including social pressure and isolation.

With family support, she gradually regained her strength and resumed her education. She continues to hope for a prosthetic arm that would allow her to regain independence and participate more fully in daily life.

Joud, 5

Joud was injured during an attack on a displacement shelter, resulting in the amputation of one finger and loss of movement in the remaining fingers. At an age where play is central to development, he is now adapting to physical limitations that affect even simple activities.

He continues to hold onto a clear goal, to regain function in his hand and return to playing and engaging with the world as he once did.

Marwan, 15

Marwan was born with a below-knee amputation and a heart condition, yet he built a strong sense of independence. After receiving a prosthetic limb, he became actively involved in amputee football, where he developed skill and confidence.

The war brought additional hardship. He lost his mother and experienced severe psychological distress that affected his speech and focus. His recovery today requires both physical rehabilitation and sustained mental health support to help him regain stability and return to daily life.

Malak, 7

Malak lost her right leg above the knee when her home was directly targeted. Since then, her family has been displaced multiple times, and they now live in difficult conditions with limited access to basic services.

Despite these circumstances, she has returned to school and remains focused on one goal, receiving a prosthetic limb so she can walk again and regain independence.

Mohammed, 12

Mohammed lost his leg in a car accident at a young age and grew up adapting to life with this condition. He joined an amputee football team, where he found purpose and confidence, standing out for his performance.

During the war, he lost his mother, which deeply affected his emotional well-being. Since then, his motivation has declined, and his recovery now requires both medical support and psychosocial care to help him re-engage with life and regain confidence.

Muath, 12

Muath lost his left leg when his home was struck during the war. He is currently undergoing treatment and remains focused on his recovery.

He hopes to access a prosthetic limb and return to walking, playing, and continuing his education like other children his age.

Revan, 10

Revan lost her right leg above the knee during the war. The injury, combined with neurological complications affecting her speech and memory, has made her recovery particularly complex.

Despite these challenges, she continues to express a strong desire to walk again. Her case requires coordinated medical, rehabilitation, and neurological support to address both physical and cognitive needs.

Sila, 7

Sila lost her leg above the knee in an attack that also took the lives of her parents and brother. She now lives with extended family in difficult conditions.

Her goal is deeply personal. She wants to walk again so she can visit her parents’ grave. She also dreams of becoming a doctor in the future, with the hope of helping other children facing similar challenges.

Yamen, 13

Yamen lost all the fingers on one hand due to an explosion. The injury affected both his physical ability and his confidence, leading him to hide his hand from others.

With support from his family and HEAL’s team, he has begun to regain confidence and is undergoing treatment. He hopes to receive a prosthetic hand that will allow him to regain independence and participate fully in daily life.

Yousef, 14

Yousef lost his leg at a very young age due to illness, following multiple surgeries. He also lost siblings to the same condition, making him the only surviving child in his family.

Today, he faces ongoing health challenges and limited mobility. His immediate needs include basic support such as a wheelchair, alongside long-term medical care to improve his quality of life.

Zeina, 8

Zeina was born with an amputation in her right hand. Despite early challenges and social pressure, she has excelled academically and continues to pursue her education with determination.

Her goal is to receive a prosthetic limb that will support her daily activities and allow her to continue building a future defined by her ambitions, not her limitations.

Long-Term Care

One of the most critical challenges in amputee care is continuity.

Children grow. Their bodies change. Prosthetics must be replaced, adjusted, and upgraded. Rehabilitation must evolve. Without follow-up, initial progress can be lost.

In Gaza, where healthcare infrastructure has been severely disrupted, this continuity is often not available.

HEAL Palestine’s Amputee Program is designed to close that gap by:

• Maintaining long-term case tracking for each child
• Coordinating prosthetic updates as children grow
• Providing rehabilitation over extended periods
• Integrating mental health support into recovery
• Supporting families to stabilize the child’s environment

In some cases, this also includes coordinating treatment abroad, where specialized care is required but not locally accessible.

A Growing Need, A Scaling Response

The number of children requiring amputee care continues to increase. Each new case adds not only immediate medical needs, but years of required follow-up.

This is why the program is structured to scale, not only in numbers, but in depth of care.

It is built to support children not just in surviving their injuries, but in adapting to them, living with them, and eventually moving forward with independence.

Beyond Recovery

The Amputee Program is not defined by prosthetics alone.

It is defined by the ability to restore function, rebuild confidence, and create pathways where children can return to school, engage with their communities, and regain a sense of normalcy.

For some, that means walking again.
For others, it means using their hands.
For many, it means simply being able to participate in life as a child again.

Through a cross-pillar model that integrates health, education, aid, and long-term planning, HEAL Palestine continues to support these children at every stage of that journey.