Rateb… A Child Reinventing His Leg

This story is not only about war, nor only about amputation, nor only about displacement. It is about a single child standing at the heart of all that, trying to redefine his body and the world around him.

Rateb lost his leg in a bombing. He lost his mother and brother. His house was destroyed and he was displaced to a tent that carried nothing of home except its name.

Yet, he did not lose one thing: his desire to keep walking.

Since October 7th, 2023, Gaza has become the world’s highest place for child limb amputations, according to humanitarian organizations. In this harsh context, Rateb’s story does not seem an exception, but one of the most revealing tales of what it means to grow up as a child in a war that offers only narrow choices for life.

With the absence of prosthetics, he resorted to what was available around him: sewage pipes, plastic pieces, and simple straps.

This is how he made himself a new leg… or rather: reinvented the meaning of a leg.

Fadi Thabet

Fadi Abdullah Salim Thabet has more than eight years of professional experience in photojournalism and is a member of the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate. Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, he has been part of the UNRWA Media Team providing professional photo and video services to document key events and create impactful visual stories, with a particular focus on gender-based violence, women’s human rights issues, and the humanitarian impact of the war. This work reflects his deep understanding of UNRWA's mission and goals, aiming to amplify the voices and experiences of the affected population while adhering to organizational communication standards.