Israeli restrictions and coercive practices against the residents of Gaza are deepening humanitarian needs, including psychosocial services, UN humanitarians said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said its partners in Gaza, operating a toll-free hotline, reported a 14 per cent increase in remote counseling sessions between March and April this year.

It held more than 9,600 sessions last month.

“The increase is particularly pronounced for cases involving suicide ideation, which rose by 90 per cent,” OCHA said. “There’s also a 46 per cent increase in counseling related to physical gender-based violence and a 34 per cent increase in counseling for anxiety and fear.”

The World Health Organisation estimated that more than 43,000 people have potentially life-changing injuries, including spinal cord injury, major traumatic brain injury and major burns.

Others also have limb amputations, and around 53,000 injuries require extended rehabilitation.

One in five amputees is a child, according to the WHO.

The WHO said that while the availability of rehabilitation services has improved since September 2025, capacity remains below pre-October 2023 levels.

Currently, no rehabilitation facilities are fully functional, and more than 400 patients are on waiting lists for specialised inpatient care.

In the West Bank, OCHA said that bulldozers operated by Israeli settlers demolished structures belonging to the displaced Palestinian community of Arab al Khouli in Qalqiliya governorate on Friday.

The structures were previously home to more than 20 households.

Following recurrent settler attacks, members of the community fled on February 27.

(Xinhua/NAN)