The effects of the Israeli bombing in Gaza weren’t just limited to deaths and physical injuries; it also caused widespread hearing damage among children and adults. Estimates suggest that around 35,000 people are at risk of temporary or permanent hearing loss due to the explosions and pressure waves. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that this number includes both children and adults at risk of hearing loss, based on field data and surveys. Recent field estimates by Our Children Association for the Deaf in Gaza indicate that the number of people suffering from hearing loss or impairment has risen from about 20,000 before the war to nearly 35,000 during the war, according to Fadel Qarz, a disability rights activist and sign language interpreter in Gaza. More specific survey results by the association highlight the size of the problem: they examined 32,753 people between December 2024 and August 2025 and identified about 2,500 children and adults with new hearing impairments directly linked to the war. This number doesn’t represent the total cases in the Gaza Strip, only those discovered among the people the association was able to examine.
