S16 · Physiotherapy

Rehabilitation and follow-up care for patients

Treatment does not end with surgery. In physiotherapy, patients are supported in regaining mobility and independence — an essential part of recovery, often extending well beyond the acute deployment period.

According to the ICRC, more than 19,200 physiotherapy sessions have been carried out at the Red Cross Emergency Hospital in Rafah since May 2024. During the first ceasefire (January to March 2025), the team was able to set up a programme for surgical revision following amputations — particularly relevant for children, whose bones are still growing and whose stumps change as they develop.

When fighting resumed on 18 March 2025, this programme had to be suspended until the second ceasefire. Medical follow-up always takes longer than the phase of active fighting — and is repeatedly interrupted by it.