HelpAge: A year of unimaginable hardship for Gaza’s older people: A reflection by Dr. Umaiyeh
Published: 14 October 2024
“My heart is boiling. We are so down.”
These are the words of Dr. Umaiyeh Khammash, the director of Juzoor for Health and Social Development, a Palestinian NGO that has been tirelessly working to provide aid to the people of Gaza since the onset of hostilities.
One year into the conflict, he speaks with a heavy heart, knowing that the situation for Gaza’s older people is unbearable. “I think of people like my collegue Dr. Yehya,” he says. “He’s 75 years old, a doctor who has served his community for decades. Now, his home is destroyed, and he’s seeking shelter just like so many others.”
Older people in Gaza are often forgotten or overlooked. “We have around 100,000 older people here, and 70-80% of them suffer from chronic conditions or disabilities,” Dr. Umaiyeh explains. “But very few aid programmes are directed towards them. Most focus on children and pregnant women, while our older people are left behind.”
Dr. Umaiyeh recounts heartbreaking stories from the front lines. “Many older poeple couldn’t flee when the bombing began. They need to be able to run or walk for several kilometres to escape the bombing and their familiies cannot carry them. Others refused to move but have stayed behind without their families to support them. They’re too old or too disabled to search for food or water, and their health is deteriorating fast.”
Access to medication has become an overwhelming challenge. “When the war started, 80% of older people in shelters still had their medications in the first month. But this started to drop and now only 40% of those with health problems are able to get hold of their medications. That means ..