This October 7 marks one year since Hamas launched its assault on Israel, igniting a conflict that has left a deep mark on the region.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 1,200 people, including Israelis and foreigners, were killed in the initial attacks, and nearly 5,500 were injured. Additionally, 250 people were kidnapped, dozens of whom remain in Gaza. 

The impact on Palestine has been catastrophic. OCHA reports that Israel’s military operations in Gaza, where Palestinians had already endured a 17-year air, sea, and land blockade, have created a severe humanitarian crisis.

To date, over 41,600 Palestinians have died and more than 96,600 have been injured. Around 10,000 more are still missing, believed trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

Testimony of the tragedy

Ahmed Abu Aita, a resident of the Jabalia refugee camp, lost most of his family and his family business in an airstrike on October 20, 2023.

“I wish life could go back to the way it was before the war. I hope, even though it seems impossible, that my family members who were martyred—my wife and my son—could return,” he said. His son is currently receiving treatment in Qatar, and Ahmed cannot see him. 

Humanitarian aid in Gaza has been severely restricted. Israel has blocked supply access, halting relief operations and leaving the population vulnerable to hunger, disease, and death. More than 300 humanitarian workers, mainly from UNRWA, have died in the attacks, worsening the crisis. 

Jonathan Whittall, an OCHA official in Gaza, stated, “For many residents, it feels as though everyone has been sentenced to death. Either the bombs and bullets kill you, or the lack of resources slowly suffocates you. The only difference is how fast you die.” 

A year after the escalation, the situation in Gaza underscores the magnitude of civilian suffering and the difficulty of delivering aid in a territory heavily affected by the war between Israel and Hamas, leaving the Palestinian population trapped in a conflict with no immediate resolution.