Middle East, News, April 23 2019

Hamad Hospital, named after the former emir of Qatar, has 100 beds and helps people who lost their limbs in conflict.

Qatar opened the first prosthetic hospital and a disability rehab centre in the Gaza Strip on Monday, overcoming obstacles that delayed the much-needed project in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Khalifa al-Kuwari, director of the Qatar Fund for Development, cuts the ribbon during the opening ceremony [Adel Hana/AP]

Khalifa al-Kuwari, director of the Qatar Fund for Development, cuts the ribbon during the opening ceremony [Adel Hana/AP]

Rafat Lubad, the local director of the hospital, said the facilities are more essential now than ever as more than 130 Palestinians have had amputations over the past year after being shot by Israeli soldiers during protests along the Gaza-Israel perimeter fence.

A Palestinian protest movement has demanded an end to the crippling 12-year blockade that has pushed the Gaza Strip’s medical system to the breaking point.

Hamad Hospital, named after the former emir of Qatar, has 100 beds and offers services to people who lost their limbs because of conflict or accidents. Children with hearing impairment or motor disabilities can find treatment in the state-of-the-art, 12,000-square-metre facility.

Original Article posted on Al-Jazeera.