Since October 7, Gaza has remained shattered: over 60,000 Palestinians killed, 25,000 missing, and more than 2 million displaced. Entire neighborhoods lie in rubble, the economy collapsed, and generations continue to suffer under relentless siege and war’s unending shadow.
Two years into the war in Gaza, the human toll is staggering and relentless. More than 67,000 Palestinians, including a significant proportion of women and children, have lost their lives amid the continuous genocide.
Among the deceased are thousands of children, women, the elderly, and numerous medical, press, and educational workers. Over 10,000 remain missing under rubble with little hope of recovery.
Nearly every resident of Gaza has been displaced, many fleeing multiple times in desperate survival efforts. The displacement currently stands at around 1.9 million, roughly 90 percent of Gaza’s population.
Entire families have been wiped from existence, with documented cases of families losing dozens of members and being erased from official records. The collective trauma is almost beyond comprehension, as Gaza’s communities try to mourn amidst continuous destruction.
Gaza: A Wasteland of Ruin and Devastation
The physical devastation in Gaza is catastrophic. More than 60% of buildings have been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable.
Over 360,000 housing units have been damaged, with more than 25,000 completely destroyed. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, making vast urban areas into ghost towns, including heavily affected areas like Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Rafah.
Schools, hospitals, and even religious sites have been targeted and demolished, leaving essential infrastructure in ruins.
Satellite imagery confirms the scale of this destruction is unprecedented.
A Land Reoccupied and Besieged
After nearly two decades of siege, Israel reasserted control over Gaza with a full military reoccupation lasting through multiple brutal phases.
This began with the devastation of northern Gaza, followed by forced mass displacement southwards, and culminated in a complete occupation including strategic border crossings.
The campaign, originally framed as a military operation against Hamas, has expanded into a systematic effort to remove Palestinians from their ancestral lands, further entrenching Israel’s control over Gaza.
Economy in Collapse and Society on the Brink
Gaza’s fragile economy has been shattered. Estimates show an 81% decline in GDP post-2023, with the agricultural sector decimated by up to 96%, destroying food security, livestock, irrigation, and essential infrastructure.
Over 82% of businesses have been destroyed, unemployment has soared above two-thirds of the population, and poverty has become the norm.
The population now depends almost entirely on international aid, with little hope for recovery.
West Bank: Bloodiest Years and Rising Violence
The West Bank has experienced the deadliest violence since 2005, with over 722 Palestinians killed in 2023 alone.
Israeli settler violence has intensified, supported by military forces that maintain over 750 checkpoints and conduct frequent raids, including airstrikes on Palestinian population centers such as Jenin refugee camp.
The ongoing militarization and settler attacks have worsened humanitarian conditions drastically.
Education and Future at Risk
The war has obliterated Gaza’s education system. Over 450 schools and universities have been destroyed or rendered non-functional.
More than 11,600 students and 750 teachers have been killed, with education effectively halted for consecutive years.
This systematic targeting of educational institutions threatens to erase an entire generation’s chance of a future, undermining Palestinian society’s long-term prospects.
An Unfolding Human Tragedy
Two years on, Gaza remains a land of ruins, its people enduring profound fear, loss, and deprivation daily.
Tens of thousands of lives have been lost, and millions live displaced and impoverished. The international community continues to watch as this genocide unfolds with no end in sight.
The Palestinian people’s struggle for survival is ongoing in the face of relentless violence and destruction, with their very existence challenged.
