On the 650th day of the genocidal war, the scale of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues to unfold, with the total number of Palestinians killed or missing since 7 October 2023 exceeding 67,880, according to the latest figures released by the Government Media Office in Gaza.
The relentless military aggression, in which over 125,000 tonnes of explosives have been used, has destroyed more than 88% of Gaza’s 360 square kilometres, an unprecedented level of destruction in modern conflicts in terms of firepower and systematic devastation.
At the same time, the occupation forces have effectively taken control of more than 77% of Gaza’s territory, in one of the most brutal episodes of mass forced displacement, impacting at least two million civilians who were expelled from their homes without guarantees of protection or return.
Among the victims, more than 19,000 children and 12,500 women have been killed, including 8,150 mothers and 953 infants. These figures reflect a deliberate and direct targeting of civilians, particularly the most vulnerable groups.
Further data indicates that at least 68 children have died from malnutrition and 17 from cold in displacement camps, amid a complete blockade and systematic prevention of humanitarian aid by the occupation.
To date, approximately 9,500 Palestinians remain under the rubble, most presumed dead and unrecovered, a tragic testament to the use of siege, starvation, and destruction as weapons of extermination against Gaza’s population.
This assault has flagrantly breached all recognised ethical and humanitarian norms, with widespread targeting of medical staff, humanitarian workers, and journalists. A total of 1,590 medical personnel, 228 journalists, and 777 aid workers have been killed.
In addition, 38 hospitals and 96 healthcare centres have been completely destroyed, 144 ambulances targeted, and the healthcare system rendered inoperable, leaving tens of thousands without access to medical care or emergency assistance.
The same data confirms that occupation forces have exhumed 2,420 bodies from cemeteries and established seven mass graves inside hospitals in recent months, in grave violation of human dignity and international humanitarian law, which protects the dead from mutilation or detention.
In education and religious sectors, 156 educational institutions have been completely destroyed and 382 partially damaged, alongside the destruction of 833 mosques, three churches, and 40 cemeteries, a systematic effort to erase Gaza’s social and cultural fabric.
The starvation policy imposed by the occupation in recent months is also reflected in harrowing statistics: 877 civilians have been killed while attempting to reach aid distribution points, and over 5,600 others injured.
For more than 139 days, the occupation has blocked tens of thousands of aid trucks from entering Gaza, creating a severe food and water crisis and widespread outbreaks of infectious diseases, including 71,000 cases of hepatitis and over two million cases of illness related to mass displacement.
Gaza’s agricultural sector has almost completely collapsed, suffering estimated losses of $2.2 billion, with 92% of agricultural land destroyed, alongside severe damage to electricity, water, and sewage networks.
What has unfolded in Gaza since 7 October is not a conventional military campaign, it is genocide in both legal and political terms, with protected groups under international law (children, women, civilians, and medical personnel) deliberately and systematically targeted. The tactics employed include mass killings, forced starvation, deliberate destruction of infrastructure, forced displacement, and withholding of bodies, all amounting to crimes against humanity and genocide as defined by the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
With unconditional international backing, particularly from the United States, the occupation continues its violations with impunity, defying International Court of Justice rulings and UN appeals. The ongoing genocide in Gaza stands as a collective stain on the conscience of the international system.
