In Gaza a prosthesis is not just a device, it is a lifeline'

Harriette Boucher reports on one of the few prosthetic limb specialists still able to work in the strip after Israel's assaults

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As the fragile ceasefire in Gaza continues to hold, Palestinians have been returning to what is left of their lives after two years of relentless bombardment.

But thousands of those who survived Israel’s assault on the enclave face the challenge of life-altering injuries they suffered during the conflict.

There are more than 6,000 prosthetics currently needed in Gaza, many of which are for children, according to the World Health Organisation.

And there are precious few people on the ground who have the expertise to help them. Heba, who works for the charity Humanity & Inclusion, is one of just eight prosthetic technicians left in Gaza. She examines people’s amputations, measures their stumps and makes moulds for both leg and arm prostheses.

“We see people living with amputations whose stories of loss are heartbreaking and unimaginable,” the mother-of-two said. “Many of them are the sole survivors of their families, carrying both the physical and emotional weight of that traumatic experience.”