Rozan Kheira woke to the sound of explosions, screaming and panic. At 10pm, an Israeli air strike hit her family’s home in Gaza City as they slept.
Her first instinct was to get out of bed. But when she tried to stand, she collapsed. She tried again and fell once more. Only then did she look down and see blood pooling around her leg. Her foot had been severed, attached only by a small shred of skin.
“I had just woken up and couldn’t comprehend what was happening,” Kheira told Middle East Eye. “At that moment, I forgot we were even at war.”
The 24-year-old Palestinian lay frozen in shock until her brother carried her downstairs. That night, 19 November 2023, changed her life forever.
As Israel destroyed hospitals, killed medical staff and blocked fuel and medicine from entering Gaza, treatable injuries became life-altering disabilities – and in some cases, fatal.
“After hours of bleeding, I underwent surgery, and my foot was completely amputated,” she said.
“I was in excruciating pain, and painkillers were unavailable in northern Gaza because of the Israeli siege.”
Read more: ‘I feel like I lost my life’: Gaza amputees fight for mobility amid shortages
