Paralyzed Dreams: Gaza’s Struggle for Mobility and Life

Haneen al-Mabhouh, a Gaza resident, grapples with her new reality after an Israeli airstrike left her wheelchair-bound, killed her children, and shattered her husband. Thousands in Gaza face similar fates, hindered by a lack of prosthetic limbs and slow medical evacuations, as a ceasefire brings limited aid.

In the heart of Gaza, Haneen al-Mabhouh sits in a wheelchair, haunted by dreams of rebuilding her family and reclaiming mobility after losing her leg in an Israeli airstrike. The attack claimed the lives of her daughters and left her husband severely burned, forcing her life into an indefinite pause.

Medical support remains sluggish despite a ceasefire, with thousands of amputees like al-Mabhouh awaiting the delivery of prosthetic limbs and medical evacuations. The World Health Organisation highlights a desperate need for assistive products in Gaza, as the supply of prosthetic materials slowly trickles in.

Amid personal loss and a struggle for basic health care, residents like 23-year-old Yassin Marouf and IT student Mohamed al-Naggar confront a stark reality — their dreams are on hold as they navigate life-altering injuries with little support and scant hope for the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)