They Destroyed What Was Inside Us

Report by Human Rights Watch | 2024

The report titled "They Destroyed What Was Inside Us: Children with Disabilities Amid Israel's Attacks on Gaza," published by Human Rights Watch in September 2024, reveals the severe impact of Israel’s military actions on children with disabilities in Gaza. The extensive use of explosive weapons has caused permanent disabilities in many children, while those already living with disabilities face heightened vulnerabilities. These children struggle with displacement, lack of medical care, and destruction of crucial assistive devices like wheelchairs and prosthetics.

We are talking about a huge number of traumatic amputations, especially in children, leaving children with permanent disabilities. Also, many children who were wounded by shrapnel all over their faces and bodies, and I have seen children lose their eyesight due to injuries.
- Human Rights Watch online messenger correspondence 

The report emphasizes how the ongoing blockade of Gaza exacerbates these challenges. Children with disabilities face difficulties accessing food, clean water, and necessary healthcare, while psychological trauma from witnessing violence and losing loved ones further complicates their conditions. Many children experience emotional and mental health crises, compounded by the lack of support services, which were already scarce before the conflict.

Additionally, caregivers of these children face overwhelming burdens in attempting to ensure their children's safety, health, and emotional well-being amid the devastation. The report calls for immediate international action, including halting arms transfers to Israel, until these violations cease and aid can be delivered unimpeded.

Full report can be found here.