Gaza's children with Down syndrome struggle to rebuild skills lost to genocide

What Happened

The Right to Live Society (RLS), a Gaza-based organisation providing specialized care for children with Down syndrome, has resumed limited operations in makeshift tents in al-Zawaida, central Gaza, as of July 2024. According to RLS director of rehabilitation programmes Raoufa Salama, Israeli military operations since October 2023 resulted in the destruction of all three RLS facilities and the deaths of multiple students. Families report that the ongoing conflict, characterized by constant bombardment and displacement, has caused children to regress in previously mastered skills such as speech, comprehension, and personal hygiene.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The destruction of specialized care facilities highlights the collapse of essential social services in Gaza, specifically impacting vulnerable populations who require consistent, structured environments to maintain developmental progress. The reported increase in new cases of children with Down syndrome, which RLS attributes to environmental and psychological stressors of the conflict, underscores the long-term humanitarian and health challenges facing the territory.

Watch For

Monitor the sustainability of the RLS makeshift tent operations and any further reports regarding the availability of specialized medical and educational resources for children with disabilities in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict.