Gaza Three Years After the War: 74,000 Martyrs and Destruction Affecting Most Sectors
A comprehensive statistical report documents 74,000 martyrs and widespread destruction in infrastructure, the economy, and health in Gaza since October 2023.
Translated by Qiyas from الوسط — Original source
The Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which erupted on October 7, 2023, has caused widespread human and material losses, with its humanitarian and economic repercussions continuing to unfold. Approximately two million Palestinians are facing extremely difficult living conditions, amid severe damage to housing, infrastructure, and the health and education sectors.
According to statistics from the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, as cited in a report published by Al Jazeera, the casualty toll reached approximately 74,023 martyrs and 175,111 injured by September 29, 2026. The report noted that among the martyrs were 21,500 children and 12,500 women, according to data from the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.
The figures in the report indicate that the war’s impact extended beyond human casualties to include mass displacement and destruction of vital facilities. United Nations and UNRWA data showed that nearly 94 percent of the Strip’s population—approximately 1.98 million people—were displaced more than once, while Israeli evacuation orders covered between 87 and 90 percent of Gaza’s area.
In the housing and infrastructure sectors, assessments by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat) and the UN Satellite Centre revealed that over 81 percent of buildings in the Strip had been damaged. A joint assessment by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union, released in April 2026, indicated that 87 percent of roads, 88 percent of water and sanitation facilities, and 90 percent of the electricity system had been destroyed.
The damage also affected economic and productive activities. The joint assessment estimated direct damage costs at approximately $35.2 billion and economic losses at around $22.7 billion, while estimated recovery needs through the end of 2025 reached $71.4 billion.
Data from the report showed that the unemployment rate in the Strip had reached approximately 80 percent, while gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 83 to 85 percent. The vast majority of the population now relies on humanitarian aid, and food insecurity has worsened.
In the health sector, data from the World Health Organization and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicated that approximately 70 percent of healthcare centers had closed due to destruction or evacuation. Of the 36 main hospitals in the Strip, only between 14 and 17 were operating partially.
