Two Years of Devastating War in Gaza Before the Latest Ceasefire, Leaving Massive Casualties, Destruction, and Displacement

Place: Gaza Strip - State of Palestine

Date: November 18, 2025

(Last update 11/17/2025 06:05:10 AM ) Prepared

Event Description

More than a month after the ceasefire in Gaza, humanitarian conditions remain extremely dire. Local health authorities, as cited by international outlets, estimate that at least 69,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 170,700 injured since the war began in 2023. Despite the formal halt in large-scale operations, repeated violations of the ceasefire have left around 250 Palestinians killed and more than 600 injured since 10 October. Most residents now face prolonged displacement, destroyed homes, and near-collapsed essential services.

Humanitarian Conditions

Hundreds of thousands of families in Gaza face a protracted emergency, many still displaced or living in heavily damaged homes. UN reports note that humanitarian efforts remain far below the level of need, despite attempts to scale up aid deliveries under the ceasefire framework. Households continue to experience shortages of food and safe drinking water, overcrowded shelters, and rising risks of disease and malnutrition, especially among children, women, and older people, while the remaining health facilities operate under extreme strain.

Security Situation

Despite the ceasefire that took effect on 10 October, human rights groups and media have documented repeated violations, including limited airstrikes, shelling, and targeted attacks in border areas, resulting in dozens of additional casualties during the truce period. Movement remains risky in heavily damaged districts, where unexploded ordnance, collapsed buildings, and broken infrastructure continue to pose serious threats to civilians.

Organizations' Response

The UN and its partners are working to scale up the humanitarian response under the ceasefire, prioritizing food, water, health, and shelter, but reports highlight major access constraints, including restrictions on movement, limited crossing capacity, and persistent insecurity. Although the number of aid convoys has increased, available supplies still fall far short of actual needs, particularly in the hardest-hit northern areas, where overstretched local relief networks continue to play a critical frontline role.

Recommendations

Advocate for the effective consolidation of the ceasefire, preventing violations that further deteriorate humanitarian conditions and hinder relief operations.
Push for stable and predictable humanitarian corridors to enable regular, sufficient aid flows, particularly to the most affected areas.
Prioritize the rehabilitation of critical basic services (water, electricity, sanitation, health) alongside immediate emergency distributions.
Support emergency education programmes following the widespread damage to schools, to keep learning opportunities available at least at a minimum level.
Strengthen field monitoring and analysis to maintain up-to-date data on casualties, displacement, and damage, informing both response and recovery planning.
Place special emphasis on psychosocial support for Gaza’s population, especially children and women, given the prolonged trauma of the two-year conflict.

(Last update 10/30/2025 06:15:55 AM ) Prepared

Event Description

Field assessment teams reported that the extent of destruction was far greater than anticipated. Preliminary figures indicate that approximately 9,500 housing units were completely destroyed, and around 620 public infrastructure facilities—including water, electricity, and road networks—were severely damaged. Entire neighborhoods were declared uninhabitable, with rubble blocking access to critical facilities.

Humanitarian Conditions

Humanitarian needs escalated sharply in the first week after the ceasefire, with a significant number of families found homeless. Data indicate that approximately 95,000 households now rely entirely on aid, while 38 hospitals and clinics remain non-operational due to damage and lack of supplies. Demand for food and clean water surged beyond available resources.

Security Situation

Despite the ceasefire, sporadic security disturbances were reported, and access to heavily damaged neighborhoods remained challenging. Unexploded ordnance and debris posed ongoing threats to civilians, while local teams worked cautiously to clear rubble and reopen essential roads.

Organizations' Response

Humanitarian organizations began conducting wide-scale needs assessments, alongside the initial distribution of food, water, and hygiene supplies. Teams were able to reach around 52 distribution points across the Gaza Strip and assist more than 53,000 households during the first week. However, they reported a significant gap between the scale of needs and the actual capacity to respond, with thousands of families in the north and south still lacking regular access to aid. Several agencies also started establishing emergency shelters in schools and public facilities to accommodate the increasing number of displaced people.

Recommendations

** Expand field assessments to cover all affected areas.

** Provide urgent food and health kits, especially for displaced families.

** Support the reactivation of key hospitals and ensure medical supply flow.

** Establish temporary shelters to accommodate rising displacement.

** Strengthen water systems and accelerate the restoration of essential networks.

** Develop an accurate database to identify gaps in humanitarian needs.

(Last update 10/10/2025 06:06:22 AM ) Prepared

Event Description

During this period, Gaza witnessed repeated rounds of airstrikes and ground operations targeting civilian infrastructure, residential areas, and vital facilities. Reports indicate that around 290,000 buildings or housing units were completely or partially destroyed, while electricity, water, and sewage networks suffered extensive damage. Restrictions on movement and prolonged closure of crossings further deepened the isolation of the Strip and disrupted essential supply lines.

Humanitarian Conditions

The war led to a sharp deterioration in humanitarian conditions, with many families losing both their homes and sources of income. Estimates suggest that the number of internally displaced people at the height of the fighting reached around 1,900,000 individuals, many of whom took shelter in overcrowded schools and collective centers lacking basic living conditions. The health system came under unprecedented strain, as more than 70 hospitals and clinics were destroyed or operated at severely reduced capacity.

Security Situation

Widespread insecurity prevailed across the Gaza Strip, with civilians facing constant risk from repeated airstrikes and clashes near populated areas. Movement within cities and camps was restricted by rubble, checkpoints, and unsafe zones, making access to basic services—including food and healthcare—extremely difficult.

Organizations' Response

Local and international humanitarian organizations operated under extremely challenging conditions, focusing primarily on life-saving interventions and basic food, water, and health assistance. However, the scale of destruction and intensity of hostilities, coupled with restrictions on aid entry, created a significant gap between needs and available response, despite numerous convoys and emergency programs over the two-year period.

Recommendations

** Conduct comprehensive documentation of the war’s impact on civilians and infrastructure, including human losses and material damage.

** Develop an updated database of internally displaced persons and families who lost their homes and livelihoods, to guide reconstruction and recovery programming.

** Assess the health system’s capacity and immediate needs to enable the gradual re-activation of essential facilities.

** Prioritize monitoring and analysis to understand geographic and social patterns of damage in order to better inform subsequent response phases.

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