Gaza in Ruins Two Years After Hamas Attack: Over 210,000 Dead, Millions Displaced
Two years of conflict devastate Palestinian lives.
The Israel-Hamas war, now in its third year, has left Gaza’s 2.1 million Palestinians grappling with unprecedented destruction across the territory’s 365 square kilometers. The conflict, sparked by Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, prompted a massive Israeli offensive aimed at dismantling Hamas and rescuing captives.
Approximately 11% of Gaza’s population—over 230,000 people—have been killed or injured, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting 67,000 deaths and 170,000 injuries, including 40,000 with life-altering wounds. Thousands more are presumed buried under rubble. The ministry, staffed by medical professionals, doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants but is considered reliable by the UN. Israel attributes the high civilian toll to Hamas operating in residential areas, though strikes frequently hit homes without clear targets.
Nearly all of Gaza’s residents are displaced, many fleeing multiple times to escape relentless bombardments. Families are torn apart, with men detained in large numbers as Israel searches for Hamas operatives. Squalid tent camps now dominate southern Gaza, housing countless displaced families.
Also Read: Hamas Signals Breakthrough as Trump’s Peace Plan Gains Momentum in Egypt Talks
Israel controls most of Gaza, flattening entire neighborhoods and agricultural towns. The UN reports 102,067 buildings destroyed, leaving rubble 12 times the volume of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Schools, mosques, and hospitals lie in ruins, with Israel alleging Hamas uses such sites as command centers, a claim supported by limited evidence.
Famine grips Gaza City, with 30% of residents going days without food. Charity kitchens are overwhelmed, and babies suffer severe malnourishment. Israeli restrictions on aid, intended to block Hamas’ access to supplies, have crippled medical care, leaving doctors with inadequate resources. The war has proven deadliest for journalists, health workers, and UN aid workers, surpassing tolls in past conflicts.
Once-thriving agricultural towns like Khuzaa, known for strawberries and wheat, are now leveled. Israel’s ongoing offensive targets Gaza City to eliminate Hamas fighters and free the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 believed alive. Since the conflict began, 465 Israeli soldiers have died in Gaza.
As a new American peace plan emerges, Israeli forces continue their advance, threatening Gaza City’s core, while the humanitarian crisis deepens.
Also Read: Israel and Hamas Resume Peace Talks as War Rages On
