More than 900 wheelchairs donated by two Australian charities for injured children in Gaza have been sitting in warehouses in Jordan for more than 18 months. The charities, and the Jordanian aid organisation storing them, say Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries have kept them out. Israel says it has not blocked them. The story, first reported by Australia’s ABC, has spread widely on social media this week.
What Happened
Two shipments from the New South Wales charity Kids on Wheels Alliance arrived in Jordan in February 2025. A third, from Wheelchairs for Kids in Western Australia, arrived in October 2025. All three remain in storage near Amman, at facilities run by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO), which coordinates much of Jordan’s aid to Gaza.
The chairs were built for the conditions they would face. They are designed for rough terrain, including the rubble that now covers much of Gaza, and can be adjusted as children grow.
The JHCO says it applied in late February 2025 to include the first consignments in an aid convoy to Gaza. It says COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body that controls aid entering Gaza, blocked the delivery. According to reports, COGAT rejected the application, citing incomplete approval for medical equipment, and it has since been marked as “pending” with no updates.
Israel’s Position
An Israeli government source has denied that an application for the wheelchairs was rejected and said Israel had not blocked their delivery. One source suggested the chairs may have been caught by Israel’s “dual-use” rules, which restrict goods the authorities believe could serve a military purpose. No official explanation has been published.
That leaves two competing accounts. The charities say the chairs are being kept out. Israel says they are not. What nobody disputes is that the chairs have been sitting in Jordan for well over a year while the children they were meant for wait.
The Children Waiting
The need is not in doubt. According to UNICEF, more than 11,000 children in Gaza have suffered severe, life-changing injuries, including thousands of amputations. The UN has said Gaza now has the largest group of child amputees in modern history.
“The sooner they come out of there and get to the kids, the better,” said Brother Olly Pickett, co-founder of Wheelchairs for Kids and the 2025 Senior Australian of the Year, who said he did not understand the delay. Kids on Wheels Alliance chair Shaoquett Moselmane said his charity had spent more than 15 years raising money for wheelchairs, with local communities covering the cost.
Aid groups say wheelchairs are not the only items affected. A report by humanitarian organisations in April said bandages, nappies, shampoo and tent poles had also been held back.
Brighton Local Angle
The story lands in a city that has followed the Gaza war closely. Brighton and Hove has seen regular marches, vigils and protests calling for a ceasefire since 2023, including demonstrations inside Brighton Station. This weekend, Gaza was again on the agenda as Green Party leader Zack Polanski addressed his party’s conference at the Brighton Centre.
For local people who give to Gaza appeals, the wheelchair story is a reminder that donating is only the first step. Getting aid into the territory depends on approvals that donors cannot control. Anyone giving should check how a charity delivers its aid and what happens if a shipment is held up.
Related Reading
- Brighton pro-Palestine campaigners protesting against Peter Kyle’s refusal to call for Gaza ceasefire this Saturday
- Pro-Palestine activists protested inside Brighton Station on Wednesday to mark 130 days of Israel-Gaza war
