Two-Year Impact Assessment of the Gaza Attacks
The Israeli military has sustained its offensive, launched on 8 October 2023, for two years. More than 80 percent of the Gaza Strip’s 365 square kilometers has been occupied and brought under control through ground operations and intense firepower. During this period, the Israeli military has used over 200,000 tons of explosives, including banned munitions. The attacks have resulted in 67,173 deaths, 169,780 injuries, and 9,500 disappearances or entrapments under rubble in Gaza over the two-year period.
According to reports from the Government of Gaza’s Press Office, over 90 percent of the region has been destroyed. Infrastructure, transportation, energy, health, and education institutions have been directly targeted; homes, public buildings, places of worship, cemeteries, and archaeological sites have suffered severe damage. A total of 268,000 homes have been completely destroyed, 148,000 severely damaged, and 153,000 partially destroyed.
As a result of Israeli military operations, more than 288,000 Palestinian families have been displaced. Most of those forcibly displaced have been forced to live in overcrowded, cramped areas lacking basic necessities. United Nations reports state that approximately two million Palestinians are confined to an area of just 73 square kilometers, creating a “catastrophic humanitarian situation.” The total economic loss caused by Israeli attacks has been estimated at approximately $70 billion.
Loss of Life and Demographic Impact
Since 8 October 2023, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in a total of 67,173 deaths. The number of injured has been recorded at 169,780. Among these are large numbers of women, children, and elderly individuals. The number of those missing or trapped under rubble stands at 9,500.
According to data from the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 20,000 children have been killed in the attacks, of whom 1,015 were under one year of age and 450 were newborns. Over 12,500 women and more than 9,000 mothers have lost their lives. These figures indicate that a significant portion of Palestinian families have lost multiple generations. Discrepancies between statistics from the Ministry of Health and the Press Office arise because the Ministry records only corpses recovered from hospitals, while the Press Office includes those still buried under rubble.
A total of 22,426 Palestinian fathers have been killed in the attacks, leaving 56,348 children orphaned and 21,193 women widowed. Across Gaza, 39,222 families have been affected by mass killings, of which 2,700 families have been entirely wiped out. In 6,020 families, only one member has survived.
The attacks have not been limited to direct fatalities. Due to the Israeli military’s blockade, starvation, and inadequate shelter conditions, 460 Palestinians have died of hunger and 17 from exposure to cold. Of those who died from hunger, 154 were children.
As a result of the health crisis caused by the blockade, more than 12,000 pregnant women have suffered miscarriages, and 42 percent of kidney patients have died due to lack of access to treatment. In the unsanitary conditions endured by the displaced, 2,142,000 infectious disease cases have been recorded, of which 71,338 have been diagnosed as hepatitis.
Destruction of the Health System
Collapse of Health Infrastructure
The health system in the Gaza Strip has been largely destroyed as a result of two years of intense Israeli military attacks. According to Munir al-Bursh, Director General of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, all 38 public and private hospitals in Gaza have been targeted. Only 16 of these have resumed partial operations, while 22 have been completely shut down.
As a result of attacks on hospitals, the total bed capacity of 6,000 has dropped below 2,000. Approximately 50 percent of medicine stocks have been depleted, and 65 percent of medical supplies have been destroyed. This has brought health services to near-total paralysis. Additionally, over two years, the Israeli military has targeted 197 ambulances and 61 search-and-rescue and firefighting vehicles.
In addition to the 38 hospitals, 96 health centers have been bombed or severely damaged, rendering them inoperable. These attacks have made access to care for the injured and sick virtually impossible. United Nations reports state that the health system has reached a “point of collapse.”
Loss of Health Workers
According to 2025 data from the Gaza Ministry of Health, since the Israeli attacks began on 8 October 2023, 1,701 health workers have been killed. Of these, 157 are doctors, 366 are nurses, 103 are pharmacists, 254 are medical assistants, and 611 are administrative staff. Additionally, 362 health workers have been detained or forcibly disappeared. Among them are 88 doctors, 132 nurses, 72 technicians, and 47 administrative personnel.
Among the killed and detained doctors are some of the region’s leading medical specialists. Adnan al-Bursh, Head of the Orthopedics Department at Shifa Hospital, was detained in December 2023 and died in an Israeli prison in May 2024. Pediatric surgeon Muhammad Nimr Gazaat was killed in an airstrike in Deir al-Balah on 12 May 2024, along with his son Yusuf. Gynecologist Iyad al-Rantisi died in detention on 17 November 2024 after being tortured.
Husam Abu Safiyyeh, Director of the Kemal Advan Hospital in northern Gaza, was arrested during a raid in December 2024 and imprisoned on charges of being an “unlawful combatant.” Similarly, Mervan al-Hams, Director of Abu Yusuf Najjar Hospital, was detained while on duty on 21 July 2025. On 3 October 2025, the Israeli military abducted nurse Tesnim al-Hams.
All major health facilities in Gaza have been targeted within two years:
- Shifa Hospital, subjected to two major assaults on 16 November 2023 and in March 2024; its buildings were destroyed and it was rendered completely inoperable.
- Gaza-European Hospital, first targeted in October 2023 and fully shut down in May 2025.
- Nasser Hospital, bombed on 15 February 2024 and 25 August 2025. In the second attack, 22 people were killed, including four health workers and five journalists.
- Kemal Advan Hospital, repeatedly targeted; during its final assault, Director Abu Safiyyeh was detained.
- Al-Awda Hospital, under siege for 18 days in November 2023; its upper floors and ambulances were destroyed.
- Emel Hospital (affiliated with the Red Crescent), severely damaged by aerial attacks in February 2024; staff were killed or detained.
- Indonesia Hospital, rendered completely inoperable on 30 June 2025 in the Beit Lahiya region.
Losses in Science, Education, and Culture
Scientists and Academics
Scientists, academics, and researchers in Gaza have been directly targeted in Israeli military attacks. According to data from the Government of Gaza, 193 scientists, faculty members, and researchers have been killed during the two-year campaign. Approximately 800 teachers and education workers have also lost their lives. These deaths have severely impacted Gaza’s education system; scientific production and teaching activities at universities have been largely halted.
Ismail al-Sevabite, Director of the Gaza Government Media Office, stated that Israel has systematically targeted scientists and sought to destroy the Palestinian society’s knowledge infrastructure through these attacks.
Among the academics killed in the attacks are some of the region’s leading scholars:
- Professor Dr. Sufyan Tayeh, Rector of Gaza Islamic University, was killed along with his family in an airstrike on the Jabalia Refugee Camp in December 2023.
- Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, Faculty Member, Gaza Islamic University Medical School, was detained while on duty at Al-Awda Hospital and died in an Israeli prison.
- Dr. Nasir Ebnnour, Dean, Gaza Islamic University Nursing Faculty, was killed along with his family in an airstrike on his home in Rafah on 21 February 2025.
- Dr. Naim Barud, Dean, Gaza Islamic University Faculty of Literature, was killed along with his family on 25 October 2024.
- Dr. Jihad al-Misri, Director of Open Al-Quds University, was killed on 29 October 2023.
- Dr. Ahmed al-Delu, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Palestine University, was killed along with his family in an attack on his home on 19 October 2023.
- Dr. Ahmed Abu Abse, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Palestine University, was killed on 13 December 2023.
- Professor Dr. Ibrahim al-Estel, Dean, Gaza Islamic University Faculty of Education, was killed in an attack on his home on 23 October 2023.
- Dr. Taysir Ibrahim, Dean, Gaza Islamic University Faculty of Sharia, was killed along with his family on 17 October 2023.
- Dr. Said al-Zubde, President of the University of Applied Sciences, died on 31 December 2023.
- Rifat al-Arir, Faculty Member, English Language and Literature, Gaza Islamic University, was killed in an attack on his home on 8 December 2023.
Destruction of Educational Institutions
Eighty percent of schools in the Gaza Strip have been directly or indirectly affected by Israeli military attacks. A total of 668 school buildings have been targeted; 165 schools, universities, and educational institutions have been completely destroyed, and 392 have been partially destroyed. The suspension of educational activities has prevented hundreds of thousands of students from accessing education.
Destruction of Cultural and Historical Heritage
Over the course of two years of attacks, the Israeli military has targeted the religious, cultural, and historical fabric of the Gaza Strip. During this period, 835 mosques have been completely destroyed and more than 180 partially damaged. Three churches have been attacked multiple times, and 40 of 60 cemeteries have been erased. According to the Gaza Government Media Office, over 2,450 bodies have been exhumed from these cemeteries.
Additionally, 208 archaeological and cultural sites have been completely destroyed. These include historic buildings, museums, archive facilities, and religious endowments. The targeting of cultural heritage has largely erased Gaza’s historical identity and collective memory.
Losses in Media and Journalism
Attacks on Journalists
Since 8 October 2023, the Israeli military has directly targeted media workers in the Gaza Strip. According to data released by the Government of Gaza, 254 journalists have been killed, 433 injured, and 48 detained. Among those killed are 27 female journalists. The Gaza government has also stated that the Israeli military has targeted 12 print media outlets, 23 digital media platforms, 11 radio stations, and 16 television channels.
The attacks have not only targeted media personnel but also destroyed communication infrastructure. Five major and twenty-two small printing presses have been completely destroyed, and 53 journalists’ homes have been bombed. Additionally, five unions and professional organizations focused on press and freedom of expression have been directly attacked. The material loss in the media sector is estimated at approximately $800 million.
Despite death and destruction, 143 media organizations continue to operate under severe restrictions. However, these institutions face immense challenges due to staff losses, power and communication outages, censorship, and targeted attacks.
Notable Journalists
Among the attacks targeting media personnel are several international correspondents.
- Meryem Abu Dakka, a journalist working for Independent Arabia and Associated Press, was killed on 25 August 2025 in an airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. In the same attack, Al Jazeera cameraman Muhammad Salameh, NBC News correspondent Muaz Abu Taha, and journalists Husam al-Misri and Ahmed Abu Aziz also lost their lives.
- On 10 August 2025, the Israeli military bombed a tent where journalists were staying in the courtyard of Shifa Hospital. Six journalists were killed, including Al Jazeera correspondents Enes al-Sharif and Muhammad Kurayka. Al-Sharif, who had exposed the situation in Gaza to the world despite the media blockade, had previously been targeted by Israel.
- In June 2025, during an airstrike on the Baptist Hospital, “Filistin Al-Yom” correspondent Suleiman al-Hajjaj, cameraman Ismail Bedah, and “Shams News Agency” employee Samir al-Rifai were killed. On the same day, previously wounded journalist Yusuf al-Nahhal also died.
- Anadolu Agency freelance cameraman Said Abu Nebhan was killed by sniper fire on 10 January 2025 while reporting from the Nuseirat Refugee Camp on “Journalists Day.”
- Cameraman Hasan Hamad was killed in a bombardment in October 2024; his body was so disfigured that he could only be identified by his press vest and hair.
- Hamza al-Dahduh, son of Al Jazeera correspondent Wael al-Dahduh, and his colleague Mustafa Suraya were killed in January 2024 in an attack on a vehicle used by journalists in Khan Yunis. Hamza al-Dahduh had previously lost his entire family in a bombardment in northern Gaza.
- Al Jazeera cameraman Samir Abu Dakka was wounded in December 2023 and died from blood loss after ambulances were prevented from reaching the site.
- Anadolu Agency photojournalist Muntasir al-Sawwaf and his brother Mervan al-Sawwaf were killed in a bombardment in Gaza in December 2023.
- Bilal Qadallah, who was killed in November 2023 when his vehicle was directly targeted, was president of the “Press House” organization in Gaza.
Losses in the Sports Sector
According to data published by the Government of Gaza’s Media Office, 894 Palestinian athletes have been killed in Israeli military attacks since 8 October 2023. These include footballers, basketball players, coaches, referees, and club officials. Additionally, 292 sports facilities, stadiums, and halls have been completely destroyed or rendered unusable.
Much of Gaza’s sports infrastructure, particularly stadiums and youth centers, has been directly targeted in bombardments. The Palestinian Football Federation reported that 184 sports facilities have been completely destroyed and hundreds severely damaged. The social role of sports has been largely eliminated; training grounds, competition fields, and sports schools have been erased.
Among the athletes killed in Israeli attacks are prominent Palestinian football and basketball stars:
- Hamdan Imad, aged 22, a player for the Rafah Youth Football Club, was severely injured in a drone strike in Rafah on 8 March 2025 and died several days later.
- Muhammad Shalan, a former player for the Palestinian National Basketball Team, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers on 20 August 2025 in Khan Yunis while searching for food. He was targeted near an US-Israeli joint aid center while trying to secure food for his five children.
- Suleiman al-Ubayd, a former national footballer known as the “Palestinian Pele,” was killed on 6 August 2025 in an airstrike on a civilian gathering area in Gaza seeking humanitarian aid. Ubayd wore the national jersey 24 times and scored over 100 goals in his career.
Attacks on athletes increased in August 2025. During this period, Palestinian wrestler Ala Refik al-Medhun, footballers Ala Juma al-Hawari and Mahmoud Rafi Shahin, and baseball player Mustafa Ahmed Tafish were also killed.
In January 2025, during attacks on Beit Lahiya, assistant referee Rashid Mustafa Hamdune, footballer Shadi al-Shaar of the “Beit Hanun” team, and Muhammed Abu Zayd of the “Nuseirat Hidmat” team were killed. In the same month, during an attack on the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, two brothers, footballers Muhammad and Mahmoud Halife, were killed; one played for Gaza Hilal Sports Club and the other for Nuseirat Club.
In October 2024, Mustafa Shahin, a player for “Shabab Jabalia,” was killed in a bombardment; in the same month, Rashid al-Nems of “Hidmet Rafah” was killed along with his wife and child. In November 2024, goalkeeper Saeed al-Araki of “es-Sadaka Club” died in an airstrike on his home.
Economic and Infrastructure Destruction
The Israeli military’s two-year campaign in the Gaza Strip has caused direct material damage totaling $70 billion. In Gaza, 268,000 homes have been completely destroyed, 148,000 severely damaged, and 153,000 rendered partially uninhabitable. This destruction has left more than 288,000 Palestinian families homeless.
According to data from the Government of Gaza, the Israeli military has destroyed 247 official government buildings, 292 sports facilities, and 208 archaeological and cultural sites during this period. Additionally, shelters, municipal buildings, civil society structures, and religious facilities have suffered severe damage.
The destruction of infrastructure targets has collapsed Gaza’s basic life-support systems. Over two years, the Israeli military has destroyed 725 main water wells and targeted 134 freshwater projects. As a result, access to water has been cut off, leading to the deaths of 9,400 people, many of them children.
The electricity and energy infrastructure in the Gaza Strip has also been systematically destroyed. The Israeli military has damaged 5,080 kilometers of power grid, 2,285 electricity distribution transformers, and 253,000 consumer meters. Additionally, more than 700,000 meters of water network, over 700,000 meters of sewage lines, and more than 3 million meters of roads and streets have been destroyed.
The collapse of Gaza’s transportation infrastructure has nearly severed access to hospitals, aid centers, and residential areas. This has obstructed humanitarian operations and halted evacuation efforts.
Israeli bombardments have also caused massive destruction in industrial zones and commercial areas. Production facilities, workshops, and warehouses have been destroyed; agricultural land has been burned or rendered unusable. Due to power outages and fuel blockades, factories have been unable to operate for extended periods.
Famine, Disease, and Living Conditions
According to reports from the Government of Gaza, Israel has systematically blocked the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and humanitarian aid. This has dramatically increased deaths caused by famine, infectious diseases, and inadequate shelter across the region.
Famine in Gaza has become a direct cause of death. Due to Israel’s blockade of food imports, 460 Palestinians have died of hunger, 154 of them children. Malnutrition has led to high mortality rates among infants, children, and pregnant women. Twenty-three people have died due to accidents involving international aid flights; 17 others, 14 of them children, have died from exposure to cold in tents due to inadequate shelter.
The blockade has deepened shortages of medicine, vaccines, and medical equipment; hospitals and health centers have become unable to provide services. With the collapse of the health system, 42 percent of kidney patients have died due to lack of treatment. More than 12,000 pregnant women have suffered miscarriages. This has reduced Gaza’s birth rate and brought population growth to a standstill.
The majority of the displaced population lives in temporary camps without access to water, electricity, or hygienic conditions. As a result, 2,142,000 infectious disease cases have been recorded over two years, of which 71,338 have been diagnosed as hepatitis. Infections have proven particularly lethal among children and the elderly.
According to humanitarian organizations, over 90 percent of Gaza’s population has fallen below the poverty line for food access. Lack of fuel and energy has disrupted food storage and distribution. Most bakeries have closed, and the population’s basic nutritional needs cannot be met due to shortages of flour, water, and electricity.
Attacks on Religious Institutions
According to data from the Government of Gaza’s Press Office, over 250 Muslim and Christian religious leaders have been killed during the two-year campaign. These include imams, preachers, priests, and educators working in religious institutions.
According to Press Office Director Ismail al-Sevabite, 233 imams, preachers, and Muslim religious officials, along with 20 Christian clergy, have been killed. The attacks have been carried out as part of a systematic plan aimed at undermining the “moral and religious authority” of Palestinian society. The religious figures targeted by the Israeli military are seen as representatives of Palestinian solidarity, resistance, and identity.
As a result of Israeli bombardments, more than 835 mosques have been completely destroyed and over 180 partially damaged; three major churches have been bombed multiple times.
Among the prominent religious figures killed in Gaza are:
- Sheikh Yusuf Salameh, Preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque and former Minister of Palestinian Waqfs, served as a preacher at Al-Aqsa from 1997 to 2007 and was Deputy Chairman of the Jerusalem Higher Islamic Council. He was killed along with his family in an airstrike on his home in the Meghazi Refugee Camp on 31 December 2023.
- Sheikh Wael al-Zard, Preacher of the Great Omar Mosque and Al-Mahatta Mosque, completed his doctorate at Ayn Shams University and taught at Gaza Islamic University and Open Al-Quds University. He was killed in an attack on his home on 13 October 2023.
- Sheikh Walid Uwayda, Member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars – Gaza Branch and General Director of the Quran Memorization Center under the Gaza Waqf Ministry, was killed in an airstrike on his home in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza on 12 November 2024.
- Sheikh Nail Misran, who earned a doctorate in Islamic law and jurisprudence after studying civil engineering, was known for his sermons on patience and resistance. He was killed along with his family in an airstrike on a tent in Khan Yunis on 30 May 2025.
The Christian community has also been directly affected by Israeli attacks. The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrios, the Latin Catholic Church of the Holy Family, and the Evangelical Baptist Church have been bombed multiple times. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of civilians seeking refuge in churches. On 19 October 2023, an airstrike on Saint Porphyrios Church killed 20 people, 18 of them Christians.
On 17 July 2025, the Holy Family Church in Gaza City was bombed, killing two Christian clergy and three civilians, and injuring nine. Approximately 500 displaced people were sheltering in the church at the time. The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem confirmed that Priest Gabriel Eduardo Romanelli was injured in the attack.
