600 days of genocide: Gaza's unfolding tragedy
This followed the October 7 events, when Hamas fighters broke the siege into Palestinian-occupied territories.
As of May 28, 2025, the genocide continues, with significant tolls on life, infrastructure, and humanitarian conditions.
Human toll: Deaths, injuries
According to figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed. This represents roughly 1 in every 44 residents of Gaza's pre-war population of 2.3 million. Approximately 70 percent of the deceased are women and children, including an estimated 18,000 children—1,300 of whom were under the age of two.
In addition, over 110,265 people have been injured. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly 22,500 of these individuals require rehabilitation for severe injuries, particularly amputations. By the end of 2024, 4,500 amputations had been recorded. UNRWA reported that 10 children are losing one or both legs each day, many undergoing procedures without anesthesia due to shortages.
An estimated 10,000 people are missing, presumed buried beneath rubble. A July 2024 analysis published in The Lancet projected that indirect deaths caused by starvation, disease, and lack of medical care could increase the total death toll to as high as 186,000.
Humanitarian crisis: Starvation, disease
'Israel's' blockade, in place since 2007 and intensified after October 2023, has severely restricted humanitarian access. By September 2024, around 500,000 Palestinians were experiencing extreme levels of hunger. Acute malnutrition affected over 21,600 children aged six months to five years, and at least 34 Palestinians, mainly children, have died from malnutrition.
The blockade has also affected water and sanitation services. The United Nations reported over 995,000 cases of acute respiratory infections, 577,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea, 107,000 cases of jaundice, and 12,000 cases of bloody diarrhea. Water availability remains at just 1.5 to 1.8 liters per person per day—far below the WHO's recommended 100 liters.
Infrastructure damage
Destruction of infrastructure across the Gaza Strip is widespread. Satellite imagery indicates up to 160,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including 90,000 housing units completely demolished. About 70 percent of Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been impacted. This includes:
320 schools
1,671 industrial facilities
183 health facilities (including 23 hospitals and 59 clinics)
92 ambulances
All 12 universities in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, affecting more than 600,000 students.
Cultural, religious sites
More than 340 mosques, including the historic Great Omari Mosque, have been damaged or destroyed. At least three churches, including St. Porphyrius Church, were also affected. At least 16 cemeteries have been damaged or desecrated, along with over 200 cultural sites such as libraries and museums.
Displacement, detention
Nearly 1.9 million Palestinians—about 80 percent of Gaza's population—have been displaced. Many are sheltering in overcrowded tents or makeshift shelters. A siege on northern Gaza in October 2024 displaced large numbers and raised concerns about forced population transfers.
'Israeli' forces have detained more than 5,000 Palestinians from Gaza, including hundreds of women and children. At least 160 healthcare workers are also detained, with reports of torture and deaths in custody. Among those who died while detained are doctors Adnan Al-Bursh and Iyad Al Rantisi.
Attacks on aid workers, journalists, and healthcare
At least 274 aid workers, including 197 UNRWA staff, have been killed since the genocide began. Another 539 internally displaced people were killed while sheltering in UN facilities. Over 200 journalists have also been killed, according to UNESCO.
Additionally, 986 medical workers, including 165 doctors and 260 nurses, have died. Medical facilities such as Al-Shifa Hospital and the Nasser Medical Complex have been targeted, drawing criticism from international health organizations.
Legal, international response
In December 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing 'Israel' of genocide. The court issued provisional measures in January 2024 ordering 'Israel' to prevent genocidal acts and preserve evidence. In May 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested arrest warrants for 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
Over 600 days into the genocide, the Gaza Strip faces ongoing devastation. The data shows significant human loss, widespread displacement, and large-scale destruction of infrastructure and cultural heritage. While international legal proceedings continue, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with millions affected by hunger, disease, and lack of shelter.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
3 days ago
- Roya News
Global NGOs criticize 'Israel's' restrictions on Gaza aid in open letter
A growing number of foreign aid organizations say they are being prevented from delivering essential supplies to Gaza due to recently enacted 'Israeli' legislation, according to a joint letter published Thursday and signed by over 100 groups, including Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders. The letter highlights that tensions between 'Israel' and foreign-backed NGOs have long existed, with officials often criticizing the organizations for bias. "Israeli authorities have rejected requests from dozens of NGOs to bring in lifesaving goods, citing that these organisations are 'not authorised to deliver aid'," the joint statement reads. The letter notes that at least 60 such requests were denied in July alone. The new law, approved in March, updates the registration requirements for foreign NGOs working with Palestinians and outlines the conditions under which applications can be denied or a group's registration revoked. Authorities may reject registration if a group is deemed to deny 'Israel's' democratic character or "promotes delegitimisation campaigns" against the country. "Unfortunately, many aid organisations serve as a cover for hostile and sometimes violent activity," 'Israel's' Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Organizations that have no connection to hostile or violent activity and no ties to the boycott movement will be granted permission to operate," he added. Aid organizations, however, argue that the law is leaving civilians without critical support. "Our mandate is to save lives, but due to the registration restrictions civilians are being left without the food, medicine and protection they urgently need," said Jolien Veldwijk, director of CARE in the Palestinian territories. Veldwijk noted that CARE has been unable to deliver aid to Gaza since 'Israel' imposed a full blockade in March, despite a partial easing in May. 'Israel' has cited concerns over Hamas diverting aid as a reason for the restrictions. Since May, the government has relied on the controversial US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) to manage food distribution. Meanwhile, Gaza's civil defense agency reports ongoing chaos at distribution centers, with thousands of residents scrambling for supplies each day and some injured by gunfire from the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).
Roya News
3 days ago
- Roya News
Study reveals widespread drug-resistant bacterial infections in Gaza
A new analysis has revealed a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections across Gaza, highlighting the growing public health crisis amid 'Israel's' war and blockade of the territory. Published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet, the study examined 1,300 specimens collected at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City between November 2023 and August 2024. Researchers defined multidrug-resistant bacteria as those impervious to at least one drug in three or more classes of antibiotics. The analysis found that 66.9 percent of samples were multidrug resistant, with bacteria showing resistance to antibiotics including amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefuroxime, and cefotaxime. Resistance to ceftriaxone and ceftazidime was particularly high in bacteria isolated from infected wounds. The study also detected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in some samples. 'This will mean longer and more serious illnesses and a high risk of transmission to others. It means an increased risk of death from really common infections. It means more amputations. It's a horrible picture,' said Krystel Moussally, epidemiology adviser to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Al-Ahli Hospital is one of the few facilities in Gaza where a microbiology laboratory remains operational. The city has faced a near-total blockade on food and humanitarian aid since March, including restrictions on medical supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO) called on 'Israel' to allow urgent medical shipments to restock critical supplies, warning that the situation could worsen as 'Israeli' forces plan further operations in Gaza City. 'Over half of the Gaza health system's medicines are running at zero stock,' said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in occupied Palestine. 'Cumbersome procedures have prevented the entry of vital medicines.' Peeperkorn added that only half of hospitals and 38 percent of primary healthcare centers were partially operational, with no facility functioning at full capacity. Bed occupancy has soared to 240 percent at al-Shifa Hospital and 300 percent at al-Ahli Hospital. The authors of the Lancet report stressed the international medical community's responsibility to respond. 'First and foremost, health-care workers and governments worldwide must advocate for the cessation of the Israeli military invasion that has resulted in a surge of trauma injuries and the widespread deliberate targeting of hospitals, laboratories, and water desalination plants,' they wrote. They also urged that functioning laboratories be stabilized and that drug supplies be coordinated across aid agencies to ensure treatment is aligned with the documented needs of hospitals. 'Without this ceasefire, the infection burden will escalate further,' the authors warned.
Roya News
3 days ago
- Roya News
At least 25 killed by 'Israeli' fire near aid distribution in Gaza today
At least 25 people were killed by 'Israeli' gunfire on Wednesday while trying to access humanitarian aid in Gaza, according to health officials and eyewitnesses. The deaths come amid renewed efforts to revive ceasefire talks, alongside 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that Palestinians would be 'allowed' to leave as the military intensifies its attacks in the Gaza Strip. Medical staff at Nasser and Al-Awda hospitals, which received the victims' bodies, confirmed that the casualties occurred while people were on their way to aid distribution points or waiting for aid convoys to enter the besieged territory. Eyewitnesses echoed these accounts, describing civilians being shot as they sought desperately needed assistance.
