Disability in Gaza: Increasing Numbers of Disabled and Limitation of Providing Basic Needs

The Gaza Strip has a high proportion of people with disabilities compared to its population rate. The reason for this is due to the successive wars and conflicts that started from Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000 until the 2014 war and other ongoing protests on the borders in which excessive force and lethal weapons are used, which increased the numbers of people with disabilities. Despite the large numbers of people with disabilities, the services provided to them only meet 10% of their basic needs due to the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. More than 55 institutions provide different services to people with disabilities along the Gaza Strip. The institutions provide various helps to all types of disabilities including early intervention services, legal awareness, provision of assistive tools, physical therapy services, psychological, social, educational, and rehabilitation services. However, most of these institutions are going through different crisis and obstacles, due to the imposed siege, and lack of fund provided to them. Despite the obstacles and hitches, the Benevolent Society for Disabled works on leaps and bounds to provide various aids to people with disabilities in the Gaza Strip. The Benevolent Society for Disabled assists disabled people with significant helps such as the Outreach programme, providing assistive tools, medicines, food parcels, water tanks and many other various services.