Gaza Faces Destruction as Over 45,000 Dead, 90% Displaced

The humanitarian crisis is exacerbated by a lack of aid and harsh winter conditions.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported that at least 45,484 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and around 100,000 people have fled the territory since the Israeli war began in October. The death toll represents roughly 6 percent of Gaza’s population.

Ninety percent of Gaza’s population is now internally displaced, with families seeing their tents flooded as winter sets in. Traditionally a time for family gatherings, winter has become a nightmare for many. The situation is compounded by the severe lack of humanitarian aid, with organizations saying that Israel is blocking its entry into the region.

“There is a severe shortage of warm blankets, winter clothes, and fuel for heating,” the report added.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics also projected a severe economic collapse in Gaza, with GDP expected to shrink by more than 82 percent in 2024.

The unemployment rate in Gaza has skyrocketed to 80 percent, while the West Bank is seeing a 19 percent economic decline, with its unemployment rate climbing to 35 percent.

Mansour Shouman, a Palestinian journalist and humanitarian worker, highlighted the dire situation in Gaza, where two million civilians are facing extreme vulnerability as temperatures drop. "Their children are dying because of lack of food, lack of warmth, lack of water and lack of hygiene products," he said.

Shouman also condemned Israel's targeting of journalists and aid workers, noting that just two days ago, humanitarian workers attempting to provide aid to 3,000 orphans in northern Gaza were attacked. "Most of the aid workers were killed, but the aid was luckily recovered," he added. "What is happening is a genocide and a scar on the modern world."

As of the latest reports, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 45,541 Palestinians and wounded 108,338.