Two years of siege and bombardment have left over 66,000 Palestinians dead, including nearly 20,000 children, with thousands more injured, displaced, and struggling to survive under Gaza’s ongoing humanitarian crisis
October 7, 2023, did not come out of nowhere. It was the result of decades of dispossession, blockade, and mistreatment of Palestinians by Israel. After that day, much of the world was told a false story: Israel as the “victim” of an unprovoked attack. In reality, Gaza had long been described as the world’s largest open-air prison, under 16 years of blockade, with 2.3 million people — over half refugees — living in constant fear and deprivation.
Two years later, the human cost is staggering. More than 66,000 people have been killed, including nearly 20,000 children. Tens of thousands more are missing, buried under rubble. Over 167,500 people have been injured, many with permanent disabilities. These are not accidents; they are part of a deliberate campaign to erase Palestinian lives.
Hunger has been used as a weapon. According to the UN, over 500,000 people live under the highest level of food insecurity, with hundreds dying of starvation, including children. Schools, hospitals, and homes are in ruins: nearly 92% of schools are damaged or destroyed, all universities lie in ruins, and only 14 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are partially functioning. Journalists have been targeted, with 278 killed since October 2023, blocking independent reporting.
Gaza has been bombed more heavily than Germany in World War II or North Vietnam during Operation Rolling Thunder. The UN and genocide experts have said that these acts meet the legal definition of genocide, including killings, starvation, and destruction of daily life.
The crisis is made worse by international support for Israel. The US, Germany, France, Britain, and others have supplied weapons, money, and political cover. Media coverage often blames Palestinians while ignoring their suffering. Meanwhile, Gaza remains trapped, with civilians repeatedly targeted.
Two years in, Gaza is not just a war zone — it is a graveyard of lives, homes, hospitals, and schools destroyed, with no end in sight. Humanitarian aid is blocked, and people continue to face starvation, bombings, and oppression.
This is not a single event. Since 1948, Palestinians have lived through 28,000 days of exile, siege, and oppression. October 7, 2023, is only one moment in this long history.
In response to the blockade, over 400 international activists recently launched the Global Sumud Flotilla to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza and break the siege. Israel intercepted the flotilla, seizing boats and detaining hundreds of participants, including Greta Thunberg. She was tortured in custody. Eyewitnesses told the media that Thunberg was dragged by her hair, beaten up, and forced to kiss the Israeli flag.
