Occupational therapy practice in the time of genocide: an indigenous Palestinian perspective on the current situation in Gaza

Abstract

The ongoing genocide against the people of Gaza has exacerbated pre-existing occupational injustices faced by the Palestinian population, affecting healthcare systems, including occupational therapy education, research, and services. This experience report examines the multifaceted barriers hindering occupational therapy education, practice, and research in Gaza and the West Bank. It highlights the impact of the trauma of the loss of life, destroyed infrastructure, human-made starvation and resource scarcity, displacement, and safety risks on occupational therapists, educationalists, and clients alike. With the historic impact of colonisation, ethnic cleansing, siege and wars, and the ongoing injustices deeply affecting the lives of the 2.5 million Gazans, the majority of whom are displaced, the challenges are systemic and urgent. The report draws on lived experiences and grassroots responses to propose actionable, culturally humble, and practiceinformed strategies to rebuild and enhance occupational therapy education, services, and research, emphasizing the need for international solidarity and collaboration, innovative solutions, and resilience-building initiatives. These include strengthening local occupational therapy programs, expanding community-led rehabilitation, developing accessible online professional development tools, and co-producing context-specific knowledge. It calls for global action to uphold Palestinians' rights and occupational justice as a pathway toward collective healing and empowerment.