One Year of War: Gaza, “The Largest Cemetery”

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From the largest open-air prison in the world to “the largest cemetery,” this is how the Gaza Strip has turned as a result of the ongoing war since October 7.

For decades, Gaza has been known as the world’s largest open-air prison due to the unprecedented siege on nearly two million residents of this Palestinian enclave. However, during the war, which is now approaching its first anniversary, it has become the largest cemetery in the world.

A cemetery that has housed infants, kneeling elders, and praying youth, who were given no chance to escape or defend themselves. They became victims of an escalation that began on October 7, 2023, with the unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel.

According to figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, affiliated with Hamas, the war in Gaza has caused immense human losses, estimated as follows:

• Over 41,825 Palestinians killed, including:
  • Over 16,000 children
  • 11,000 women
  • 885 medical personnel
  • 173 journalists
  • 3 civil defense members
  • 710 infants
  • 37 who died from starvation
  • 1,760 unidentified bodies.

As for the injuries:

• 96,910 wounded, 60% of whom are women, children, and the elderly.
• A quarter of the injured, or about 22,500 people, will require rehabilitation and lifelong specialized care. The injuries include severe limb damage, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and severe burns.

According to Palestinian data:

• 19,000 children now live without one or both parents.
• Over 6,000 families have lost their mothers.

The West Bank

The West Bank has not been spared from Israeli strikes either since October 7, 2023:

• 716 Palestinians have been killed, including 160 children, 10 women, and 9 elderly.
• Around 5,750 others have been injured.

Destruction of Infrastructure

This cemetery has not only engulfed human lives but entire neighborhoods, including schools, hospitals, and public and private institutions, without sparing historically classified sites.

According to a map published by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the UN Satellite Center in late July 2024, the number of destroyed buildings in Gaza up until September 2024 amounted to 156,409 in an area of 361 square kilometers. Among these buildings:

• 45,649 in the Gaza province.
• 40,704 in Khan Younis province.
• 34,324 in North Gaza province.
• 19,694 in Rafah province.
• 16,038 in Deir al-Balah province.

Cost of Destruction

The extent of the damage, according to the UN, accounts for about 63% of the total structures in Gaza, with 215,137 housing units affected. A report from the World Bank and the UN estimates that the damage to vital infrastructure costs around $18.5 billion, equivalent to 97% of the combined GDP of the West Bank and Gaza in 2022.