Photos: Palestinian child amputees return to soccer pitch in Gaza Strip

This is the latest dispatch from Rizek Abdel Jawad, a photojournalist based in Gaza City who frequently contributes to the NB Media Co-op.

Palestinian children who have lost limbs due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign returned to one of the few remaining grass pitches in Gaza City recently to play soccer, in an effort to boost morale and rediscover joy.

The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development has reported more than 5,000 amputations — including 700 children — during Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip, which has been widely denounced as a genocide.

Less than a quarter of those in need of prosthetic limbs have been able to obtain them, while rehabilitation services suffer from significant limitations, including a shortage of assistive devices and other supplies, the ministry has stated.

Given these needs, sports activities are one way to help children regain mobility, interact with peers, and adapt to their disabilities.

READ MORE: First-ever amputee football league formed in Gaza Strip

An estimated 43,000 people in the Gaza Strip have sustained severe “life-changing injuries” requiring long-term rehabilitation since October 2023, the World Health Organization reported in May.

That figure includes 22,000 severe limb injuries and nearly 2,000 spinal cord injuries. Roughly 10,000 children have sustained life-altering injuries, representing about one quarter of the total figure.

Overall, 172,000 people have been injured in Gaza, according to the estimates published in May. Of that number, nearly 2,000 were sustained since the “ceasefire” came into effect on October 10, 2025.

This text was originally written in Arabic. An English version was produced using translation software, with editorial support from the NB Media Co-op. 

Rizek Abdel Jawad is a photojournalist based in Gaza City. To see more of his work, follow him on  Instagram and Facebook. He is part of the Connecting Gaza initiative, which helps families in Gaza survive. You can support them by going to www.connectinggaza.org/donate.