In Gaza, the unimaginable has become reality for millions of Palestinians after 15 devastating months of Israeli bombardment. Hunger and cold compound the suffering in the strip, where over 46,500 have been killed and nearly the entire population of 2.1 million now live in makeshift shelters. The scale of the destruction and displacement is catastrophic, marking one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern times.
90% of Gaza’s Population Displaced
The numbers are staggering – at least 1.9 million people, or about 90% of Gaza’s population, have been displaced by the relentless Israeli assault. For many, this is not the first time; some have had to relocate up to 10 times as their homes and neighborhoods are repeatedly bombed. In the north, at least 5,000 Palestinians have been killed in the past 100 days alone as Israel attempts to create a depopulated buffer zone.
The conditions in northern Gaza are simply unimaginable, with acute shortages of food and water, and very little aid being allowed to enter.
– Shaina Low, Norwegian Refugee Council
Severe Food Shortages and Skyrocketing Prices
Hunger crisis grips the strip as food prices soar up to 20 times normal rates, putting basic staples out of reach for most Gazans whose finances have been exhausted by repeated displacement. A 25kg sack of flour that once cost $10 now sells for an exorbitant $140. Aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to meet the overwhelming need.
We are suffering a lot: bombing, death and destruction on one hand and on the other hand, hunger and cold … The children are dying, not because of the bombing, but because of starvation and cold.
– Nusseibeh, 25-year-old Gaza resident
Collapsing Healthcare System and Deadly Cold
Gaza’s healthcare system lies in ruins, with only 16 of 36 hospitals partly operational and entirely insufficient to handle the overwhelming needs of injured civilians. Over 1,000 healthcare workers have been killed and wearing medical attire is like “wearing a target.” The UN documented 136 attacks on health facilities in just 9 months. Coupled with Israeli restrictions on medical supplies, Gaza faces a catastrophic health crisis.
The harsh winter compounds the misery, with at least 8 newborns dying from hypothermia within 3 weeks due to lack of shelter and supplies. Over 161,600 homes have been destroyed and another 194,000 damaged, leaving approximately 82,000 uninhabitable. Nusseibeh, who has been displaced 5 times, says all they want is “to stop this war which has taken everything precious from us.”
Ceasefire Talks Amid Continuing Violence
Despite reports of progress in ceasefire talks, violence rages on in Gaza. Palestinians see no change on the ground as hundreds of journalists and media workers have been killed trying to document the crisis. Israel continues to bar foreign press access, leaving only Palestinian reporters to bear witness, often at a terrible cost.
As the world watches in horror, Palestinians in Gaza suffer unimaginable anguish under a ceaseless barrage of bombs and a crushing blockade. The scars of this war, both physical and psychological, will endure for generations. For the millions trapped in Gaza, the faint hope of a ceasefire is all they have to cling to as they battle hunger, cold, grief and despair. Their resilience is being tested as never before.
