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One of the most densely populated places -

There are 2.3 million people living in the Gaza Strip. Nestled between Israel and Egypt, it is 41 km (25 mi) long and 10 km (6 mi) wide and is considered one of the most densely populated places on Earth.

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Airspace, water, and land all controlled -

Gaza’s airspace, waters, and land have been under strict Israeli control for nearly two decades.

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Israeli-Egyptian blockade -

Before the war, life was already very difficult in Gaza due to decades of the Israeli-Egyptian blockade.

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Worsened conditions since Hamas attack -

Since Hamas’ attacks on Israel, these restrictions have worsened and become amplified.

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Gaza in ruins -

Gaza has been left in ruins following relentless Israeli airstrikes.

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Unseen levels of destruction -

UN Secretary General António Guterres recently stated that he’s "never seen such a level of death and destruction as we are seeing in Gaza in the last few months."

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Some 90% displaced at least once -

The UN estimates that the war has displaced, at least once, 90% of Gaza's population.

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About 75% of infrastructure destroyed -

Nearly 75% of infrastructure in Gaza has either been partially or completely destroyed.

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Schools destroyed or turned into shelter -

According to the United Nations, nearly 90% of all schools have been decimated in the Strip, with the remaining turned into temporary shelter.

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Tens of thousands missing -

While official numbers of deaths have been released by the Gaza Ministry of Health, tens of thousands of Palestinians remain unaccounted for, presumed dead under rubble.

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Some 92% of roads destroyed -

With little civil recourse and the destruction of 92% of primary roads in Gaza, finding and identifying the missing has become a nearly impossible task.

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Over 37 million metric tons of debris -

The UN estimates that over 37 million metric tons of debris has littered the Strip over the course of the last year.

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Most farms destroyed -

In addition to buildings and other critical infrastructure, most of the Strip’s farms have been destroyed. In conjunction with Israel’s position to place additional pressure on the Strip by blocking the entrance of most aid, these conditions have resulted in a mass famine.

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Limited aid -

Of the little aid that has been allowed to enter, aid workers and crowds attempting to obtain aid have also faced bombardments. Aid has sometimes been airdropped, which has also resulted in death and injury of Palestinians.

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Hospitals targeted -

Most of the Strip’s medical professionals have either been killed or injured. With the targeting of hospitals and a lack of equipment and supplies, medical treatment has been largely reduced to the bare minimum.

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Hundreds of thousands injured -

The destruction of hospitals has left the nearly 100,000 injured to fend for themselves and attempt recovery without resources.

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Designating safe zones -

In December 2023, Israel divided the Gaza Strip, ordering often inconsistent evacuations and designating safe zones.

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Reliance on leaflets -

Due to the destruction of telecommunications and electricity infrastructure, Gazans have largely relied on discrepant leaflets dropped from the sky to decide where they should go.

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Spread of disease -

The mass concentration of Gaza’s residents in safe zones without access to clean water or medical treatment has resulted in an emergence of a number of diseases that haven’t been seen in the region for decades.

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Safe zones attacked -

These so-called safe zones have also been subjected to bombardments, creating a greater sense of desperation for Gaza’s residents.

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Lack of official information -

The lack of official information flow has left Gazans subjected to contradictory information. News agencies that try to report on military activities have little resources to ensure information reaches the population, while many Palestinian journalists have also been targeted and international journalists are barred from entering.

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Satellite imagery -

Researchers in the US have relied primarily on data from the European Space Agency and NASA to map the damage.

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Analysis takes weeks -

Analyzing data obtained from satellites takes a great deal of time. According to Corey Scher of the City University of New York, this process can take weeks.

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Findings quickly outdated -

The constant displacement of people, food, and water insecurity, in conjunction with ongoing bombardments, makes analyses quickly outdated.

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Mass destruction -

The Oregon State Conflict Ecology lab notes that the level of damage and destruction that is seen in Gaza today is one of the most destructive the lab has analyzed.

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Little hope of recovery -

Water and sanitation systems are nearly entirely non-existent. Soil has been contaminated due to bombardments, and the accumulation of debris leaves the Strip with little hope of recovery.

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Clearing debris -

The UN estimates it will take nearly two decades just to clear debris from the Strip.

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North Gaza -

The escalation of violence in the north of Gaza left hundreds of thousands trapped. Israel’s alleged plan, named the "General’s Plan," to empty the top half of the Strip considered all those who stayed as combatants, regardless of their ability to leave, with a complete cutoff of aid to the area.

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Ceasefire deal -

A ceasefire, which temporarily halted the violence, took effect on January 18 under intense international pressure. However, the agreement collapsed in March, leading to the resumption of airstrikes and ground operations. Despite previous hopes for lasting peace, the situation remains highly unstable, with ongoing casualties and widespread destruction in Gaza. 

Sources: (NPR) (Al Jazeera) (CBS News) (BBC) (United Nations) (Le Monde) (AP News)

See also: The worst refugee crises in history

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