It has been two years since Israel launched its genocide in opposition to Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel’s assault on Gaza started on October 7, 2023, in response to assaults on southern Israel by fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, and different Palestinian teams, throughout which 1,139 individuals died and about 240 have been taken into Gaza as captives.
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In response, Israel started a bombing marketing campaign on Gaza and tightened its longstanding blockade, turning what had already been a 16-year siege into a complete stranglehold.
1 out of 33 individuals in Gaza killed
Two years of Israeli assaults have killed at the least 67,000 Palestinians. 1000’s of different persons are nonetheless below the rubble.
That’s about one out of each 33 individuals killed, or 3 % of the pre-war inhabitants.
At the least 20,000 kids are among the many useless, or one little one killed each hour for the previous 24 months.
The Palestinian Ministry of Well being counts deaths primarily based on individuals delivered to hospitals or formally recorded. The true quantity is unknown and is probably going a lot larger as a result of the official dying toll doesn’t embody those that perished below rubble or are lacking.
1 out of 14 individuals in Gaza injured
The human toll of Gaza’s conflict extends past the useless.
Greater than 169,000 individuals have been injured, many with life-altering wounds.
UNICEF estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 kids in Gaza have misplaced a number of limbs.
What few well being services are nonetheless open throughout the besieged enclave stay overwhelmed as they function with dwindling provides and little to no anaesthesia.
125 hospitals and clinics broken
Israel has attacked practically all of Gaza’s hospitals and healthcare services.
Over the previous two years, at the least 125 well being services have been broken, together with 34 hospitals, leaving sufferers with out entry to important medical providers.
Israeli strikes on hospitals and the continued bombardment of Gaza have killed at the least 1,722 well being and assist staff.
Lots of of others have been forcibly faraway from hospital wards and affected person bedsides and detained in Israeli prisons and army camps.
In line with Well being Care Employees Watch, as of July 22, Israeli forces are holding 28 distinguished physicians, together with 18 senior specialists in very important fields equivalent to surgical procedure, anaesthesiology, intensive care and paediatrics, depriving Gaza’s devastated well being system of vital experience.
Two of those senior docs have reportedly died below torture in Israeli custody, and their our bodies are nonetheless being withheld.
At the least 20 physicians have been taken from hospitals besieged or stormed by Israeli troopers, whereas others have been detained from medical convoys, their houses or throughout compelled evacuations. Most have been held with out cost for greater than 400 days, together with three detained for over 600 days.
These arrests kind a part of a broader sample of assaults on Gaza’s healthcare system. Since October 2023, there have been greater than 790 documented assaults on well being services, together with aerial bombardments of hospitals, clinics and ambulances, in response to the World Well being Group.
Hospitals can’t be the item of assault, in response to the Fourth Geneva Conference, Articles 18-22. In line with Articles 12 and 51, medical models and personnel have particular protections.
In line with the Rome Statute of the Worldwide Prison Courtroom, Article 8 (2)(b)(ix), deliberately attacking a hospital is a conflict crime.
Famine
Israel has orchestrated widespread starvation in Gaza by way of army restrictions which have blocked assist for months and an imposed meals distribution system wherein persons are shot virtually every day whereas attempting to gather meals.
At the least 459 individuals, together with 154 kids, have died as a consequence of hunger.
On August 22, the United Nations-backed Built-in Meals Safety Section Classification (IPC) system, a world starvation monitor, confirmed a famine within the enclave – the primary formally recognised within the Center East.
In line with the IPC, famine is at present occurring in Gaza Governorate and is projected to increase to the Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis governorates by the top of September. Practically a 3rd of the inhabitants (641,000 individuals) are anticipated to face catastrophic circumstances (IPC Section 5).
Malnutrition amongst kids surged at a historic tempo: In July alone, greater than 12,000 have been recognized as acutely malnourished – six occasions larger than firstly of the yr.
Practically one little one in 4 suffers from extreme acute malnutrition, and one in 5 infants is born prematurely or underweight.
When the Israeli- and United States-backed GHF took over assist operations on Might 27, working exterior the UN framework, it launched a brand new, lethal distribution system.
In line with Gaza’s Ministry of Well being, greater than 2,600 individuals have been killed and over 19,000 injured by hearth from Israeli troopers and GHF safety contractors whereas attempting to gather meals from GHF websites.
One Israeli soldier described these areas as “a killing subject”. And Israel’s Haaretz newspaper quoted Israeli troopers as saying they have been ordered to fireside on individuals gathered on the GHF websites.
89% of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure is broken
Since October 2023, Israel has systematically focused Gaza’s already compromised water infrastructure – placing wells, pipelines, desalination crops and sewage methods.
In line with UN specialists, 89 % of the enclave’s water and sanitation community has been broken or destroyed, leaving greater than 96 % of households water insecure.
Native authorities stated a lot of Gaza’s water distribution system lies in ruins, with main pipes shattered and wells both contaminated by untreated sewage or rendered inaccessible as a consequence of ongoing combating and compelled displacement.
In the present day, practically half of Gaza’s inhabitants survives on lower than 6 litres (1.6 gallons) of water a day for consuming and cooking, whereas 28 % have entry to below 9 litres (2.4 gallons) for hygiene and cleansing – far beneath the emergency 20-litre (5.3-gallon) requirements set for “short-term survival”.
Practically all houses destroyed or broken
The destruction throughout Gaza is close to whole.
In line with the UN Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, by August, 92 % of all residential buildings and 88 % of economic services had been broken or destroyed.
Whole neighbourhoods have been worn out, leaving tens of millions of Palestinians displaced and with out shelter.
Satellite tv for pc evaluation by the UN’s UNOSAT programme discovered that as of July 8, 2025, practically 78 % of all buildings throughout the enclave have been destroyed.
With 62 % of residents missing authorized paperwork to show property possession, rebuilding might be fraught with challenges. Many households face the prospect of everlasting displacement, unable to reclaim their houses or land even when reconstruction ultimately begins.
In line with a World Financial institution evaluation launched in February, the direct bodily harm attributable to Israel’s bombardment is valued at $55bn, encompassing the obliteration of houses, colleges, hospitals and public infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip.
Schooling
Gaza’s schooling system has collapsed below the load of conflict.
Practically 658,000 school-aged kids and 87,000 college college students have been left with out entry to studying as school rooms and campuses lie in ruins.
At the least 780 schooling workers members have been killed, and 92 % of faculties now require full reconstruction.
Greater than 2,300 academic services, together with 63 college buildings, have been destroyed. Those nonetheless standing are getting used as shelter for the displaced.
1000’s held in Israeli prisons
Greater than 10,800 Palestinians are at present held in Israeli prisons below what rights teams describe as grave and inhumane circumstances, together with 450 kids and 87 girls.
Folks have been rounded up in raids in Gaza or throughout raids within the occupied West Financial institution.
A major quantity are held with out cost or trial. At the least 3,629 Palestinians are being detained below administrative detention, a coverage that Israel makes use of to imprison Palestinians indefinitely on “secret proof”.
Deadliest place to be a journalist
Practically 300 journalists and media staff have been killed in Gaza since October 7, together with 10 from Al Jazeera, in response to the Shireen Abu Akleh Observatory.
These are the Al Jazeera workers members killed by Israeli assaults:
- Mohammad Salama
- Anas al-Sharif
- Mohammed Qreiqeh
- Ibrahim Zaher
- Mohammed Noufal
- Hossam Shabat
- Ismail al-Ghoul
- Ahmed al-Louh
- Hamza Dahdouh
- Samer Abudaqa
Overseas media have been barred from getting into the enclave, with just a few reporters embedded with Israeli troopers allowed into the enclave below strict Israeli army censorship.
UN Particular Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion Irene Khan says Israel’s marketing campaign quantities to an effort to silence Palestinian journalists.
“Israel first delegitimises and discredits a journalist,” she stated. “Smear campaigns accuse them of being terrorist supporters – after which they’re killed. This isn’t nearly killing journalists. It’s about killing the story.”
The Brown College Prices of Conflict Mission stories that extra journalists have been killed in Gaza than within the US Civil Conflict, World Conflict I and II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Yugoslav conflicts and the post-9/11 conflict in Afghanistan – mixed.
Illustrations by Muhammet Okur
