DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has reportedly claimed the lives of over 46,000 Palestinians, according to recent statements from Gaza’s Health Ministry. The volatile situation has persisted for 15 months, with no sign of resolution in the near future.
As per the ministry’s figures, 46,006 Palestinians have died, and more than 109,000 have been injured since the conflict escalated. The ministry emphasizes that women and children account for a significant portion of the fatalities, although specific numbers detailing civilians versus militants have not been provided.
In response, the Israeli military claims to have eliminated over 17,000 militants, though it has not offered supporting evidence for its assertions. The military maintains that it strives to minimize civilian casualties, attributing the responsibility for such deaths to Hamas, which operates from within populated areas. Strikes on identified militant hideouts, including shelters and hospitals, have led to significant loss of life among women and children.
Negotiations for a ceasefire and the potential release of hostages have recently seemed to gain momentum, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioning that a deal is “very close.” He expressed hope to finalize the agreement before transitioning U.S. diplomatic efforts to the incoming Trump administration. However, U.S. officials have shared similar sentiments multiple times in the past year, only for discussions to halt in their tracks.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched an assault on Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, most of whom were civilians. Around 250 were taken captive, with about 100 hostages remaining in Gaza, where Israeli authorities believe many have either died during the initial attack or succumbed to captivity.
Widespread destruction has affected vast areas of Gaza, leading to the displacement of around 90% of the region’s 2.3 million inhabitants. Many individuals have had to flee multiple times, finding themselves crowded into large tent cities with limited access to essential supplies such as food and water.
Fatma Abu Awad shared her heartbreak, stating she lost six family members on a single day due to two Israeli strikes occurring just 15 minutes apart. In one attack, her son was killed in a vehicle, while another strike targeting a tent in Muwasi Khan Younis resulted in the death of his wife and four children, injuring him as well.
“We’ve been hoping every day for news of a truce, but all we receive are reports of further losses,” she lamented at a makeshift shelter in Khan Younis, where she is not alone in seeking refuge from the violence.
Beside a cemetery, she prayed for her relatives whose graves were marked only by rubble. Another displaced resident, Munawar al-Bik, expressed the unbearable nature of the current situation, stating, “What we are living is not a life. Nobody could bear the situation we’re experiencing for a single day.”
Al-Bik described nights spent listening to the cries of those mourning their losses, reflecting the gravity of the circumstances in the scattered tent camps that line the southern region of Khan Younis.
On Thursday, dozens paid their respects at funeral prayers held outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, mourning victims of recent airstrikes. In a display of sorrow, a man was seen kneeling in a morgue, grieving over the loss of a loved one.
Palestinian health officials reported that Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday led to fatalities, including three infants and two women. One family member, Malak Abu Awad, whose family was devastated by the conflict, spoke of their futile hope for a ceasefire after over a year of ongoing warfare resulting in continuous casualties.
Meanwhile, in Israel, relatives of hostages who lost their lives in captivity voiced their urgent calls for a ceasefire, urging both the Israeli government and international leaders to reach a conclusive agreement. This came shortly after the discovery of the body of a hostage in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza, prompting pleas for policies focused on saving lives and ensuring the return of all hostages.
The realities of this ongoing conflict paint a grim picture for both the Palestinian and Israeli people, who are enduring the devastating impacts of violence and loss.
