Gaza Herald – The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has published a list of every known death of a Palestinian killed as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, 2023. The 2,086-page document, shared via Telegram, includes the names, ages, genders, and ID numbers of 58,380 individuals. Among them are 953 infants under the age of one, including nine newborns killed on the very day they were born.
The genocidal war waged by the Israeli occupation against the Gaza Strip continues to claim lives and devastate all aspects of civilian life. Recent statistics reveal horrifying figures that reflect the depth of the humanitarian catastrophe and the crimes committed against civilians, including women, children, educators, and healthcare workers.
Genocidal Toll : Women, Children, and the Elderly Deliberately Targeted
According to the latest official data by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the total number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip has reached 58,026, marking one of the deadliest campaigns in the region’s modern history. Among the dead are 18,000 children and 12,400 women, offering clear evidence that civilians—not combatants—are the primary targets of Israeli attacks. Additionally, 3,853 elderly individuals have been killed, a figure that underscores the deliberate targeting of vulnerable groups protected under international law.
The assault has not only affected civilians but has also devastated vital infrastructure and humanitarian sectors. A total of 1,411 medical workers have been killed while carrying out their duties. Meanwhile, 800 educational staff members lost their lives, highlighting the systematic targeting of schools and universities. The war has also taken the lives of 228 journalists, in what rights groups describe as an attempt to silence the truth. Furthermore, 203 UNRWA staff members have been killed despite their recognized humanitarian role in supporting Palestinian refugees. Within the civil defense and rescue sector, 113 personnel were killed while attempting to save civilians trapped beneath the rubble.
Thousands Still Missing Under the Rubble
In addition to the documented casualties, the number of missing persons in Gaza has reached 11,200, as ongoing bombardment and destruction continue to obstruct the efforts of rescue teams.
Human rights organizations describe these statistics as evidence of systematic war crimes and genocide, aimed at depopulating Gaza and breaking the resilience of its people through killing, starvation, and the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure. These figures are expected to be submitted as part of several legal files before international courts, including the International Criminal Court, as evidence of grave violations of international humanitarian law, particularly those concerning the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Unprecedented Destruction of Gaza’s Civilian Infrastructure
The scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip is staggering, as new data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reveals the systematic obliteration of civilian infrastructure amid Israel’s ongoing war. More than 330,500 housing units have been damaged, and 68,918 buildings have been destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. The war has severely affected public services as well — 17 hospitals are now only partially functional, and 144 ambulances have been damaged or destroyed, severely limiting emergency response capabilities. Religious and educational institutions have also been heavily targeted: 828 mosques and 3 churches have been leveled, while 143 schools and universities were destroyed and 366 others partially damaged. Additionally, 225 government headquarters have been bombed, crippling civil administration across the besieged enclave. These numbers, coupled with the soaring civilian death toll, reinforce allegations of an intentional campaign to erase the foundations of life in Gaza.
These staggering figures go beyond the realm of statistics; they represent lives extinguished, families shattered, and a society pushed to the brink of collapse. The scale, consistency, and nature of the targeting in Gaza suggest a deliberate strategy, not incidental warfare. From newborns killed on their first day of life to elderly civilians, doctors, teachers, and journalists, the toll reflects a systematic effort to erase the fabric of Palestinian life. As the evidence mounts, so too does the responsibility of the international community to act decisively and hold perpetrators accountable for what many legal scholars now classify as genocide.
