35,000 ‘Partially or Completely’ Deaf in Gaza Due to Israel bombs

The majority of Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza are women and children. (via WAFA)

Due to Israel’s ongoing blockade, not a single hearing aid has entered the Gaza Strip for nearly a year, according to one of the doctors.

Reposted from Palestine Chronicle, January 9, 2026

An estimated 35,000 children and adults “have partially or completely” lost their hearing due to bombings during Israel’s two-year genocidal assault on the Gaza Strip, according to a Le Monde report, citing a survey by a local non-profit organization.

“Hearing loss can result from injuries to the head or neck, brain trauma causing ruptured eardrums and damage to the auditory system. But it can also be caused by exposure to sound waves, even if a person was not physically injured,” Dr. Ramadan Hussein, an audiologist working with the Atfaluna Society for the Deaf, reportedly said.

“These hearing disorders are, most often, irreversible,” he stressed.

‘Power of Explosion’

One such child whose hearing was affected by the bombings is a 12-year-old girl by the name of Dana. She was resting in her room in Gaza City when an Israeli missile hit the building just across from hers, the report said.

Dana’s father stressed that the explosion “was extremely violent”, with the door to her room torn off and the windows blown out. Although she survived the blast, Dana lost her hearing.

Gaza association says 35,000 people have partially or completely lost hearing amid the war, while hearing aids and cochlear implants remain impossible to obtain under blockade, Le Monde reportshttps://t.co/ZnHcA6awQa

— Türkiye Today (@turkiyetodaycom) January 8, 2026

Specialists at the Atfaluna organization confirmed that Dana is suffering from “a very severe hearing loss”.

They said that “Because of the power of the explosion, the auditory nerve was severely damaged, perhaps even completely destroyed.”

Five-Day-Old Baby

In another case, a baby who was just five days old was thrown and buried under the sand when an Israeli missile struck one meter from his family’s tent in the al-Mawassai area of Khan Yunis, the report said.

His mother, Safa al-Qara, said, “We found him thanks to his feet sticking out. He was in a terrible state; we thought he was going to die.” Four months after his birth, his mother noticed that “something was wrong.”

She said that only movement “got his attention, not sounds.” He was subsequently diagnosed with a zero level of hearing.

The report stated that he urgently requires a hearing aid or cochlear implant to avoid sever developmental delays – an impossible task in the besieged enclave with Israel having blocked the entry of some medical equipment and medicines.

“For nearly a year, not a single hearing aid has entered the Gaza Strip,” Dr. Hussein warned, adding that “even those who already have them will soon be unable to use them, because batteries are also banned.”

Infrastructure Destroyed

In addition to the shortages, laboratories to make custom ear molds and much of the infrastructure needed to treat hearing disorders has been destroyed by Israel’s ground offensive, the report stated. Many specialists in this field have also already left the enclave due to the genocidal war.

Dr. Hussein warned that “Forced displacements, continuous bombings, famine and the lack of medicine affect pregnant women and fetuses and can lead to the birth of children with disabilities, including hearing loss.”

At the same time, with the worsening conditions in displacement camps, malnutrition and the lack of primary care, there is the risk of infections.

Fady Abed, the director of Atfaluna, warned that even minor infections, “like ear infections, can cause permanent hearing loss if not treated in time,” the report stated.

Staggering Death Toll

Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of over 71,300 Palestinians, with more than 171,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.

In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.

Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.

The Palestine Chronicle is an EU-based non-profit entity (ETS) dedicated to educating the general public. Our mission is to provide a forum highlighting issues of relevance to human rights, national struggles, freedom, and democracy through daily news, commentary, features, book reviews, videos, photos, and art.

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