The human toll of Israel’s war on Gaza – by the numbers - Voice of Asia

It has been 467 days since Israel launched its war on Palestinians in Gaza. This translates to over 15 months of continuous bombardment, death, injuries, displacement, and starvation. This Israeli offensive began on October 7, 2023, following an attack by the Palestinian organization Hamas on southern Israel.

In the attack, over 1,100 people were killed and approximately 240 were taken captive. Many of those captured were either released in a prisoner exchange in November 2023 or killed in subsequent Israeli attacks. Following the attack, Israel began a brutal aerial bombardment and further tightened the blockade on the Gaza Strip that has been in place since 2007.

Over the past 15 months, at least 46,707 people have been killed in Gaza, including approximately 18,000 children. The death toll means that one in every 50 people in Gaza has been killed. Many analysts and human rights organizations believe that the actual death toll is much higher. Despite global condemnation and calls from international organizations and human rights groups, Israel continues to inflict collective punishment on the besieged enclave, where half the population is under the age of 18. In doing so, Israel is erasing generations of families from civil registers.

The war has resulted in at least 110,265 injuries in Gaza, equivalent to one in every 20 people being injured. The World Health Organization states that approximately a quarter of those injured, an estimated 22,500 people, have suffered life-altering injuries requiring but not receiving rehabilitation care. Severe limb injuries are the main type requiring rehabilitation. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) says that 10 children a day are losing one or both legs due to the Israeli blockade, with surgeries and amputations being performed with little to no anesthesia. The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that there were at least 4,500 amputations by the end of 2024.

In addition to the confirmed casualties, thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble. Due to a lack of tools to clear the rubble and rescue those trapped under the concrete, volunteers and Palestinian civil defense personnel are forced to carry out rescue efforts by hand. It is unknown how many people have died under the rubble. According to the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority, an estimated 85,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on Gaza. Experts predict that it could take more than a decade to clear the more than 42 million tons of debris caused by the bombing. In addition to the work of clearing the rubble, there is the risk of dealing with unexploded ordnance.

Intentionally starving a population during an armed conflict is a war crime under the Rome Statute. Al Jazeera's Fault Lines investigation found that Israel has systematically denied aid and water to starving people in Gaza. In January of this year, UN humanitarian agencies said that efforts to deliver aid in Gaza had reached a "breaking point". Israel restricts the delivery of aid and has launched attacks on aid workers, leading to starvation among those dependent on external assistance. At least 8 infants have died from hypothermia as Palestinians in Gaza struggle to survive in makeshift shelters unsuitable for winter weather.

Nearly 1.9 million people have been displaced within Gaza, with nearly 80% of them living in makeshift shelters without adequate clothing or protection from the cold. UN agencies estimate that nearly 500,000 people are living in areas prone to flooding. Gaza authorities say that approximately 110,000 of the 135,000 tents used as shelters in the Gaza Strip are worn out and unfit for use.