UN reports over 21,000 children in Gaza permanently disabled since Oct. 7

At least 21,000 children in Gaza have become disabled since October 7, 2023, a United Nations committee reported Wednesday.

The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities said that in the nearly two years since the conflict began, around 40,500 children have suffered new war-related injuries, with more than half left permanently disabled.

Reviewing conditions in the Palestinian territories, the committee criticized 'Israeli' evacuation orders, noting they were “often inaccessible” to those with hearing or visual impairments, effectively making evacuation impossible.

“Reports also described people with disabilities being forced to flee in unsafe and undignified conditions, such as crawling through sand or mud without mobility assistance,” the committee added.

The UN also highlighted that restrictions on humanitarian aid into Gaza have disproportionately affected people with disabilities.

“People with disabilities faced severe disruptions in assistance, leaving many without food, clean water, or sanitation and dependent on others for survival,” the committee said.

While the private, US- and 'Israel'-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) operates four distribution points in the territory, the UN system it largely replaced had around 400. Physical obstacles, including war debris and the loss of mobility aids under rubble, have prevented many from reaching the relocated aid points.

The committee noted that 83 percent of disabled people lost their assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes, splints, and prosthetics, with most unable to afford alternatives like donkey carts. These devices are often classified as “dual-use items” by 'Israeli' authorities, leaving them excluded from aid shipments.

The UN body called for the delivery of massive humanitarian aid to those disabled by the conflict and urged all parties to implement protective measures to prevent further harm, deaths, and violations of rights.

Between October 7, 2023, and August 21, 2025, the committee said at least 157,114 people were injured, with over a quarter at risk of lifelong impairments. It emphasized that 'Israel' must adopt specific measures to protect children with disabilities from attacks, implement accessible evacuation protocols, and ensure that disabled people can return safely to their homes with assistance.