In the midst of ruin and human suffering in the Gaza Strip—where hospitals are shuttered, infrastructure destroyed and amputations widespread—one young engineer seeks to reclaim humanity through technology.
Meet Yasser Alostath, a 23-year-old Palestinian mechatronics engineering student and refugee who has made it his mission to design low-cost prosthetics for amputees in Gaza. Raised under bombardment and blockade, Alostath describes engineering not simply as a career but as “a way of life.”
In his own words:
“I saw my people losing their limbs… I desperately sought to think of something I could do, something to ease their pain with the little I had.”
By April 2025, the blockade had left only 14 of the original 36 hospitals in Gaza partially functioning. Meanwhile, more than 5,000 people have endured severe limb or spinal-cord injuries, and over 10,000 children live with life-altering injuries.
Alostath’s graduation project, called the Hand of Hope, was developed under extraordinary conditions. With 3D printers and electronic sensors restricted and smuggled, he improvised the prosthetic frame using drink cans, glue sticks and straws—yet produced a working prototype controlled by muscle signals.
Despite resourcefulness, the project runs into barriers:
Lack of access to advanced materials and print technology due to blockade.
No institutional support or funding network for locally developed assistive-device technology.
Restricted freedom of movement for designers, technicians and patients.
Nevertheless, Alostath views the challenge as an opportunity—engineering as resistance, design as dignity. He states:
“With the right solution and a well-designed prosthetic limb, their lives could undoubtedly be transformed for the better.”
Alostath frames this not only as a health crisis, but a systemic engineering challenge. He argues that real progress requires:
Local fabrication capacity for assistive devices.
Integration between engineers, clinicians and end-users.
Materials and designs that prioritise affordability, accessibility and usability over high-tech complexity.
Post-conflict reconstruction efforts that place rehabilitation and assistive-tech infrastructure as priority one.
Importantly, while robotics and advanced electronics may draw headlines, Alostath emphasises that impact is defined by meeting needs, not by complexity. He views prosthetics, orthotics, mobility aids, hearing devices and seating systems as human-rights tools, enabling inclusion, independence and dignity.
For professionals in orthotics & prosthetics (O&P), Alostath’s work offers several actionable reflections:
Local innovation matters: In resource-constrained environments, locally driven design can bridge gaps that traditional supply chains cannot.
Adaptation over speculation: Designing for the real constraints of conflict zones—material access, movement restrictions, extreme environments—is essential.
Cross-discipline cooperation: Engineers, prosthetists, orthotists, therapists and patients must co-design solutions.
Sustainability and scale: Prototypes are a start, but moving to production, maintenance and user training is the real test.
Equity-driven design: Prioritising access (for children, low-income, displaced populations) makes technology meaningful.
Against the backdrop of destruction, Yasser Alostath embodies a hopeful counter-narrative: that even in Gaza’s ruins, science, curiosity and care can rebuild dignity. His journey signals that for the O&P field—and especially in humanitarian and conflict-affected contexts—innovation is not a luxury, but a necessity.