Ms Rachel says Israeli siege 'torturing' disabled Gaza children

Renowned children’s entertainer Ms Rachel has called for urgent action over the plight of Palestinian children with disabilities in Gaza, warning that starvation and Israel’s restrictions on medical supplies are putting already vulnerable children at further risk as Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian territory approaches its third year.

In an Instagram post on Monday, the content creator and activist condemned the Israeli government for the “torturing [of] babies, toddlers, children and teens with disabilities”, as Israel’s war and siege continue to devastate Gaza’s healthcare system and restrict access to essential humanitarian and medical supplies.

“Starvation of children with preexisting medical conditions is a form of torture,” she added.

Ms Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, also highlighted information shared by Tareq Hailat, Director of Global Patient Affairs at the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), about children awaiting medical evacuation from Gaza.

In a separate Instagram post, she drew attention to two-year-old Hashem Abu Mustafa, a Palestinian toddler who was “starving due to medical conditions” while his family had been waiting for his evacuation from war-torn Gaza since 2024.

“Silence is not okay during a genocide,” she stressed in a video shared on social media.

Her latest intervention comes amid mounting warnings over the impact of Israel’s blockade on Palestinians with disabilities and serious medical conditions, as rights groups demand the immediate and sustained entry of humanitarian and medical supplies into the devastated enclave.

A June report by UN investigators found that Israel’s war had caused a “severe orphan crisis”, while wounded Palestinian children “face a lifetime of disability”.

The crisis extends beyond shortages of medicine and treatment. The New Arab recently revealed that more than 900 wheelchairs donated by two Australian charities for wounded and amputee children in Gaza have been blocked by Israel from entering the enclave, leaving the shipments stuck in storage in Jordan since 2025.

The restrictions have particularly serious consequences for Palestinians living with disabilities and the tens of thousands recovering from injuries sustained during the war, many of whom require mobility aids, medical equipment and continued rehabilitation.

Israeli rights group Gisha also reported earlier this year that Israel had arbitrarily classified essential items, household goods and medical supplies as “dual use” since the start of the Gaza war on 7 October 2023, restricting their entry into the territory.

The shortages come amid a much broader humanitarian crisis. Last month, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said 94 percent of Gaza’s 2.1 million Palestinians required shelter and basic household assistance.

Citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Dujarric also highlighted continuing reports of Palestinian civilians, including children, being killed and injured by Israeli air strikes, shelling and gunfire.

“More than four out of five families face critical or catastrophic [living conditions] in their current shelters which lack fuel, energy and essential household items,” he said.

The restrictions have severely affected Palestinians’ ability to sleep, cook, bathe and store food and water, while leaving families without adequate lighting or the means to cope with extreme heat and cold, according to Dujarric.