Catastrophic Crisis in Gaza Threatens Lives, Future Generations, and the Environment
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels of devastation, with analysts suggesting that the destruction now surpasses that of World War II—particularly in the aftermath of the ceasefire, as the full scale of the war’s destruction becomes evident. In a besieged territory spanning just 365 square kilometres, more than 2.3 million people have endured 17 years of blockade, facing increasingly dire conditions.
Since October 2023, at least 46,000 people have been killed, including 14,000 to 18,000 children, according to various estimates. The number of child casualties has soared at an alarming rate, quadrupling within the first few months of the war alone.
According to UNRWA, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell confirmed that at least 14,000 children have been killed, with thousands more injured. The crisis has also left around 17,000 children orphaned or separated from their families, while nearly one million people have been displaced from their homes.
An initial assessment by the UN Human Settlements Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme estimated that, as of December 1, 2024, the total volume of rubble from Israeli attacks on Gaza had reached 50,773,496 tons.
Devastated Society Facing Deadly Diseases and Birth Defects
The intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza has left over 111,166 people injured between October 2023 and January 2025, according to an UNRWA report. Israeli airstrikes have decimated entire communities, targeting civilians, hospitals, schools, food markets, crops, and critical infrastructure. Entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble, tearing apart the fabric of Palestinian life and erasing entire families from the national registry under relentless bombing campaigns.
A report from the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) last year revealed that Israeli forces had destroyed 163,778 buildings, leading to the collapse of approximately 66% of Gaza’s infrastructure. It is estimated that clearing this destruction will take 14 years, with an estimated cost of at least $1.2 billion.
The scale of destruction is staggering, further complicated by the presence of unexploded ordnance and hazardous materials, such as asbestos buried beneath the rubble, posing a severe threat to the lives of survivors. Thousands of bodies remain trapped under the debris, with Gaza’s Ministry of Health reporting that over 10,000 corpses could still be buried under bombed-out homes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded nearly one million cases of acute respiratory infections in the past year, with vast amounts of toxic dust and asbestos accumulating from the rubble. This puts residents at risk of deadly diseases such as cancer and severe respiratory illnesses. The environmental catastrophe is polluting the air and contaminating groundwater, posing grave threats to all 2.3 million people in Gaza. Additionally, seawater pollution and unprocessed waste accumulation are further exacerbating the crisis.
Doctors have issued dire warnings about the long-term consequences, predicting a significant rise in cancer rates and birth defects in the coming decades. In Gaza, every new life emerging from the devastation faces a future marked by health risks that will manifest over years and generations.
Shocking Figures and Infectious Diseases
Thousands of people remain missing, including many women and children. The humanitarian system in Gaza is on the verge of complete collapse, with nearly 90% of the population displaced, many multiple times. The food crisis continues to worsen, affecting more than 96% of Gaza’s population, while infectious diseases spread rapidly.
Meanwhile, essential services such as fuel, water, and healthcare are under immense strain. Over 50% of Gaza’s hospitals are either completely destroyed or severely damaged, leaving only 38% of primary healthcare centres operational, according to UNRWA statistics. A televised report by Al Jazeera English yesterday detailed thousands of destroyed roads, 600,000 meters of damaged water networks, 1 million meters of damaged sewage infrastructure, and the destruction of over 400 underground wells. The removal of debris remains a monumental challenge due to the lack of necessary equipment and resources.
85% of municipal services are non-functional, requiring urgent access to heavy machinery and equipment for reconstruction efforts. Between January 1 and January 18, 2025, 115 out of 301 planned humanitarian aid movements were blocked. Despite immense logistical and security challenges, UNRWA continues to distribute aid, with 7,000 trucks of humanitarian supplies ready for delivery. On a single day following the ceasefire, more than 630 aid trucks were dispatched. However, ongoing restrictions and security threats continue to hinder aid distribution.
UNRWA facilities have also come under direct Israeli attacks during the war on Gaza, with 665 recorded incidents affecting UNRWA buildings, leading to 744 deaths and 2,346 injuries among those sheltering in these sites.
Deaths and Injuries in the West Bank
Between October 7, 2023, and January 15, 2025, 829 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, including 498 in 2024. Between January 13 and 19, 15 deaths were recorded in the West Bank, 12 of them caused by airstrikes—including six in Jenin refugee camp.
Additionally, a Palestinian child was killed on January 14, and another on January 19, while two Palestinian prisoners died in Israeli detention due to medical neglect.
According to a report from the British Red Cross, the crisis is not limited to Gaza—Israeli military operations and settlement expansion in the West Bank have significantly increased casualties. The total death toll in the West Bank has now reached 968, with at least 15,000 people injured in various attacks.
