It has been two years since Israel launched its genocide towards 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 folks died and about 240 had 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 folks in Gaza killed
Two years of Israeli assaults have killed at the least 67,000 Palestinians. 1000’s of different individuals are nonetheless below the rubble.
That’s about one out of each 33 folks killed, or 3 p.c of the pre-war inhabitants.
No less than 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 folks delivered to hospitals or formally recorded. The true quantity is unknown and is probably going a lot increased as a result of the official loss of life toll doesn’t embody those that perished below rubble or are lacking.
1 out of 14 folks in Gaza injured
The human toll of Gaza’s conflict extends past the useless.
Greater than 169,000 folks 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 amenities 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 amenities.
Over the previous two years, at the least 125 well being amenities have been broken, together with 34 hospitals, leaving sufferers with out entry to important medical companies.
Israeli strikes on hospitals and the continued bombardment of Gaza have killed at the least 1,722 well being and support employees.
A whole lot of others have been forcibly faraway from hospital wards and affected person bedsides and detained in Israeli prisons and navy camps.
In keeping with Well being Care Employees Watch, as of July 22, Israeli forces are holding 28 outstanding physicians, together with 18 senior specialists in very important fields akin to surgical procedure, anaesthesiology, intensive care and paediatrics, depriving Gaza’s devastated well being system of important experience.
Two of those senior docs have reportedly died below torture in Israeli custody, and their our bodies are nonetheless being withheld.
No less than 20 physicians had been taken from hospitals besieged or stormed by Israeli troopers, whereas others had been detained from medical convoys, their properties 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 type 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 amenities, together with aerial bombardments of hospitals, clinics and ambulances, in response to the World Well being Group.
Hospitals can’t be the article of assault, in response to the Fourth Geneva Conference, Articles 18-22. In keeping with Articles 12 and 51, medical items and personnel have particular protections.
In keeping with the Rome Statute of the Worldwide Legal Courtroom, Article 8 (2)(b)(ix), deliberately attacking a hospital is a conflict crime.
Famine
Israel has orchestrated widespread starvation in Gaza via navy restrictions which have blocked support for months and an imposed meals distribution system by which individuals are shot virtually every day whereas attempting to gather meals.
No less than 459 folks, together with 154 kids, have died resulting from hunger.
On August 22, the United Nations-backed Built-in Meals Safety Part Classification (IPC) system, a world starvation monitor, confirmed a famine within the enclave – the primary formally recognised within the Center East.
In keeping with the IPC, famine is at present occurring in Gaza Governorate and is projected to develop to the Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis governorates by the tip of September. Practically a 3rd of the inhabitants (641,000 folks) are anticipated to face catastrophic circumstances (IPC Part 5).
Malnutrition amongst kids surged at a historic tempo: In July alone, greater than 12,000 had been recognized as acutely malnourished – six occasions increased 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 support operations on Might 27, working outdoors the UN framework, it launched a brand new, lethal distribution system.
In keeping with Gaza’s Ministry of Well being, greater than 2,600 folks 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 area”. And Israel’s Haaretz newspaper quoted Israeli troopers as saying they had been ordered to fireplace on folks 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 – putting wells, pipelines, desalination crops and sewage techniques.
In keeping with UN experts, 89 p.c of the enclave’s water and sanitation community has been broken or destroyed, leaving greater than 96 p.c 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 resulting from ongoing preventing and compelled displacement.
Right now, 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 p.c have entry to below 9 litres (2.4 gallons) for hygiene and cleansing – far under the emergency 20-litre (5.3-gallon) requirements set for “short-term survival”.
Practically all properties destroyed or broken
The destruction throughout Gaza is close to complete.
In keeping with the UN Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, by August, 92 p.c of all residential buildings and 88 p.c of economic amenities had been broken or destroyed.
Total neighbourhoods have been worn out, leaving hundreds of thousands 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 p.c of all buildings throughout the enclave have been destroyed.
With 62 p.c of residents missing authorized paperwork to show property possession, rebuilding will likely be fraught with challenges. Many households face the prospect of everlasting displacement, unable to reclaim their properties or land even when reconstruction finally begins.
In keeping with a World Financial institution evaluation launched in February, the direct bodily harm brought on by Israel’s bombardment is valued at $55bn, encompassing the obliteration of properties, colleges, hospitals and public infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip.
Training
Gaza’s training system has collapsed below the burden of conflict.
Practically 658,000 school-aged kids and 87,000 college college students have been left with out entry to studying as lecture rooms and campuses lie in ruins.
No less than 780 training workers members have been killed, and 92 p.c of colleges now require full reconstruction.
Greater than 2,300 instructional amenities, 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.
Individuals had 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. No less than 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 employees 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 coming into the enclave, with just a few reporters embedded with Israeli troopers allowed into the enclave below strict Israeli navy 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
