Grassroots Effort Delivers Aid to Gaza amputees Amidst Aid Restrictions
DANVILLE, CA – November 17, 2023 – As the crisis in Gaza intensifies, a rapidly growing grassroots initiative, Prosthetics for Palestine, is working to provide critical mobility assistance to those injured in the conflict. Originating as a family project, the organization has expanded to a team of over 30 individuals and is now operating as a campaign under the umbrella of Physicians for Palestine.
The effort was highlighted today on KPFA’s Hard Knock Radio, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson, where producer Tarik “Eccentric” Kazaleh explained the urgent need for prosthetic care given the rising number of amputations and mass displacement.Kazaleh noted that severe restrictions on aid entering Gaza have limited supplies, but the team has identified approximately ten amputees awaiting care once access improves. To circumvent these obstacles, Prosthetics for Palestine is simultaneously building infrastructure in the West bank and exploring potential clinic locations in Ramallah, Amman, and Cairo.
Singer-organizer Naima Shalhoub, also a guest on Hard Knock Radio, emphasized the importance of art and culture as tools for resistance and community building.She framed artistic expression as a vital space for nurturing truth and countering divisive tactics, advocating for direct engagement with communities rather then relying on unresponsive power structures. Shalhoub connected the Palestinian struggle to similar crises in Congo and Sudan, calling for a unified, worker-centered response and increased integration of art within social movements.Supporting these efforts is Shadow Band, an instrumental collective whose name references the practice of “shadowbanning” on social media.The band will headline a benefit concert for Prosthetics for Palestine this sunday at Peace Lutheran church,located at 3201 Camino Tassajara in Danville. The event will feature a vendor/wine reception from 4-5 pm, followed by music from 5-6:30 pm.
