In a shocking toll that reveals the unprecedented scale of destruction caused by the Israeli war on Gaza over 470 days, the Government Media Office in the Gaza Strip documented initial losses exceeding $38 billion. This systematic destruction affected all aspects of life in the besieged territory.
According to the figures, Israeli forces dropped around 100,000 tons of explosives on Gaza, resulting in the destruction of nearly 90% of its infrastructure. In the housing sector alone, approximately 440,000 housing units were completely or partially damaged, rendering them uninhabitable.
The destruction also targeted essential service infrastructure, with 330,000 meters of water networks, over 650,000 meters of sewage networks, and around 2.8 million meters of roads and streets damaged. Additionally, 3,700 kilometers of electricity networks were destroyed.
In the health and education sectors, 34 hospitals were put out of service due to bombing, and approximately 800,000 students were deprived of education following the destruction of 500 schools and universities across Gaza. Even places of worship were not spared, with around 1,000 mosques destroyed, silencing the call to prayer in most parts of Gaza.
The most heart-wrenching statistics reveal that the war left nearly 39,000 children orphaned after Israeli forces wiped out approximately 7,000 families entirely—a reflection of the immense humanitarian tragedy faced by Gaza's residents.
The Israeli assault on Gaza was launched as retaliation for the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, initiated by the Palestinian resistance on October 7, 2023, targeting settlements near Gaza’s borders.
For months, Israel employed scorched-earth tactics and indiscriminate bombardment, committing daily massacres against civilians and destroying numerous hospitals, schools, and shelters for displaced people.
After months of intermittent negotiations and setbacks, coupled with U.S. President Donald Trump's ultimatum to halt the attacks before his inauguration on January 20, 2025, a ceasefire agreement was announced in Doha, Qatar.
The agreement included the formation of an Egyptian-Qatari committee to oversee the return of displaced residents from southern Gaza to the north.