Half a Year into the War in Gaza, Here’s a Look at the Conflict by the Numbers

Palestinians flee from northern Gaza as Israeli tanks block the Salah al-Din road in the central Gaza Strip on Nov. 24, 2023. (AP)
Palestinians flee from northern Gaza as Israeli tanks block the Salah al-Din road in the central Gaza Strip on Nov. 24, 2023. (AP)
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Half a Year into the War in Gaza, Here’s a Look at the Conflict by the Numbers

Palestinians flee from northern Gaza as Israeli tanks block the Salah al-Din road in the central Gaza Strip on Nov. 24, 2023. (AP)
Palestinians flee from northern Gaza as Israeli tanks block the Salah al-Din road in the central Gaza Strip on Nov. 24, 2023. (AP)

The Israel-Hamas war has stretched on for half a year and become one of the most destructive, deadly, and intractable conflicts of the 21st century.

Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack, Israel has pummeled the Gaza Strip, displacing the vast majority of the population and causing many to flee to Gaza’s southernmost city, Rafah. Food is scarce, the UN says famine is approaching and few Palestinians have been able to leave the besieged territory.

Meanwhile, Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel from Gaza, and Hezbollah and other militant groups do so from southern Lebanon, prompting tit-for-tat fighting that has displaced thousands of civilians on both sides of Israel’s borders.

Hamas is still holding hostages taken during the Oct. 7 raid, as well as the bodies of some who died in captivity. And ceasefire talks stretch on with no end in sight.

Here’s a look at the conflict by numbers, which mainly come from the Israeli military and prime minister’s office, the Gaza health ministry, the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and Associated Press reporting.

TOTAL DEATHS

Palestinians killed in Gaza: 33,091

Children killed in Gaza: more than 13,000

People killed in Israel: about 1,200

Palestinians killed in the West Bank: 456

People killed in Lebanon: at least 343

CIVILIANS

Civilians killed in Gaza: Gaza’s health ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it says women and children have made up around two-thirds of those killed.

Civilians and foreigners killed in Israel on Oct. 7: 780

First responders killed in Israel on Oct. 7: 62

Civilians killed since Oct. 7 in Israel along its northern border: 9

Civilians killed in Lebanon: At least 50

Aid workers killed in Gaza: 224, including at least 30 killed in the line of duty

Health workers killed in Gaza: 484

Journalists killed in Gaza: At least 95

SOLDIERS/GUNMEN

Fighters killed by Israel in Gaza: more than 13,000, according to the Israeli military

Israeli soldiers killed in the Gaza ground offensive: 256

Israeli soldiers killed on Oct. 7: 314

Israeli soldiers killed along Israel’s northern front since Oct. 7: 11

Militants killed in Lebanon: About 280, mostly from Hezbollah

DESTRUCTION/HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN GAZA

Percentage of buildings likely damaged/destroyed: 55.9%

Percentage of homes likely damaged: more than 60%

Percentage of school buildings damaged: 90%

Hospitals that are functioning: 10/36

Palestinian civilians facing “catastrophic” food insecurity, according to the UN: 1.1 million

Percentage of northern Gaza children under age 2 who are acutely malnourished: 31%

Percentage of students out of school: 100%

Mosques damaged: 227

Churches damaged: 3

INJURIES

Palestinians injured in Gaza since Oct. 7: 75,750

Palestinians injured in the West Bank since Oct. 7: 4,750

Israeli soldiers injured since the beginning of the ground offensive: 1,549

Israeli civilians injured on Oct. 7: 4,834

DISPLACEMENT

Palestinians currently displaced in Gaza: 1.7 million (70% of the population)

Israelis currently displaced from border communities: 90,000 (under 1% of the population)

HOSTAGES/PRISONERS

Hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7: 253

Hostages freed: 123

Hostages who are alive or haven’t been confirmed dead: 98, including two who were taken before Oct. 7

Hostages confirmed to have died in Hamas captivity: 36, including two taken before Oct. 7

Palestinian prisoners freed during weeklong pause in fighting: 240



UN Says It's Ready to Ramp Up Delivery of Desperately Needed Aid to Gaza

A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
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UN Says It's Ready to Ramp Up Delivery of Desperately Needed Aid to Gaza

A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
A Palestinian man rides a donkey-pulled cart along a street on a misty morning in Khan Yunis in the northern Gaza Strip on January 17, 2025, as Israel's security cabinet is expected to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)

The United Nations said Wednesday that it’s ready to ramp up the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza following a ceasefire agreement and urged the removal of major security and political obstacles so supplies can reach all Palestinians in need.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the announcement of a deal to pause the fighting “a critical first step” and told reporters that the UN’s top priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by the conflict triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel, The Associated Press said.
“The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels,” he said. “From our side, we will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges and serious constraints that we will be facing.”
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said aid agencies have been mobilizing supplies in preparation for a ceasefire to scale up deliveries of food, medical supplies and other key items.
Less than half of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are functional, water production is at a quarter of capacity, 95% of school buildings have been damaged or destroyed and nearly all of Gaza’s 2.1 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity, said Catherine Russell, executive director of the UN children’s agency UNICEF.
The top UN humanitarian official for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, met with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials in recent days to discuss how to increase aid after a ceasefire agreement, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.
Kaag’s meetings focused on trying to overcome challenges to deliveries that could remain even after the deal, including gunmen stripping convoys of aid, Israeli restrictions on access to Gaza, road damage, unexplored ordnance, fuel shortages and a lack of telecommunications equipment, he said.
The UN humanitarian office reported Tuesday that “Israeli authorities continue to deny UN-led efforts to reach people with vital assistance,” Dujarric said. In northern Gaza, where Israel launched its latest offensive, the UN has been denied access to deliver food supplies since Dec. 20, he said.
In addition to the lawlessness, the United Nations faces a major political obstacle. Its humanitarian operation in Gaza depends on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, which Israel’s parliament voted to ban from operating in the Palestinian territories. That legislation takes effect on Jan. 28.
Guterres has said there is no UN agency that can replace UNRWA, and if it is banned from operating, Israel as the occupying power in the Palestinian territories must take responsibility for providing aid.
UN officials said it’s imperative that the ceasefire deal is fully implemented and aid is allowed to flow freely.
“With the collapse of essential services across Gaza, we must act urgently to save lives and help children recover,” Russell of UNICEF said in a statement.
Guterres said the United Nations expects its efforts to be matched by other humanitarian organizations, the private sector and government initiatives.
David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, said aid groups must be given full access and adequate funding to rush aid to Gaza’s people after 15 months with limited food, clean water and medical care. He said his organization would quickly ramp up efforts: “The needs are immense and need urgent attention.”
Jan Egeland, a former UN humanitarian chief who heads the Norwegian Refugee Council, said, “Israel must immediately lift all restrictions on aid and humanitarian agencies to avert famine-like conditions and ensure access to shelter, food, and medical care for all in need.”
He called on the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and other nations “to make sure Israel does keep all crossings open, enabling a sustained flow of aid that can alleviate further suffering.”
US President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, said, “The surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza will begin. And the innocent people can have a greater access to these vital supplies.