Three years have passed since the initiation of the war in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, leaving the Palestinian territory fundamentally altered. The conflict has caused widespread devastation, dismantling residential neighborhoods and essential public services, while forcing a population of approximately two million people into a cycle of persistent instability. Data from Gaza’s Ministry of Health confirms that at least 74,245 Palestinians have been killed during this period. Despite the declaration of a ceasefire in October 2025, hostilities have persisted, with an additional 1,462 fatalities recorded since that time as military activity continues across the Strip. Gaza City, Gaza Strip – Three years after Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the Palestinian enclave has been transformed beyond recognition. Destroying homes and neighbourhoods and severely damaging its infrastructure and essential services, israel’s sustained aerial and ground assault has devastated vast parts of the Gaza Strip. It has not brought an end to the suffering, although a “ceasefire” was announced in October 2025. With the destruction of businesses and local industries leaving families with little income and sharply reduced purchasing power, gaza’s economy has been devastated by the war. Where most goods traded with the outside world have historically passed through Israeli-controlled crossings, restrictions on the movement of goods have deepened the damage to Gaza’s economy.
The scale of destruction has rendered daily life a struggle for survival. According to United Nations reports from September, 94 percent of the population remains in urgent need of basic assistance, and 65 percent of households are forced to live in tents or makeshift shelters that offer minimal protection from the elements. Basic living requirements—including adequate bedding, sanitation, and kitchen equipment—are largely unavailable. Water insecurity has spiked significantly, with 91 percent of households reporting moderate-to-high difficulty accessing clean water by early August, compared to 84 percent in June. Water has become another daily challenge. Charging a phone, cooking, washing and moving between services all require resources and planning that were once unnecessary, the result is a daily life reorganised around survival: collecting water.
Economic structures have largely disintegrated. The UN Conference on Trade and Development estimates that 92 percent of economic establishments have been damaged or destroyed since the conflict began. With an unemployment rate of 78 percent, the GDP per capita in 2025 dropped to $212, representing only about 17 percent of the 2022 levels. The construction sector has plummeted to 1 percent of its previous output, while agriculture and industry have stalled at 6 percent of their 2022 capacity. Prices for essential goods have soared, remaining roughly 200 percent higher than they were prior to October 2023.
Researcher Rami al-Zaygh noted that the war has effectively pushed society back by decades, forcing people to rely on rudimentary tools and revived informal trades to navigate the crisis. In the absence of traditional economic stability, many families now depend on humanitarian cash assistance, though the scarcity of physical currency has increasingly pushed residents toward digital payments and e-wallets. Economic activity has increasingly centred on aid, debt and small-scale informal work, as jobs and incomes have disappeared.
The impact on public institutions and safety is equally severe. Before the conflict, civilian governance was managed by Hamas, but the consistent targeting of security posts and police personnel by Israeli forces has created a dangerous vacuum. The UN Human Rights Office documented 12 attacks on police between January and May 2026, resulting in 53 deaths, including 35 officers. These institutional collapses have directly fueled a surge in crime, including property theft, looting of aid, and kidnappings, according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.
Education and health systems are also facing critical failures. UNICEF reports that 98 percent of schools have suffered damage or destruction, leaving roughly 700,000 children aged 4 to 17 without consistent in-person schooling as of April 2026. While some temporary learning spaces have been established, approximately 200,000 children currently have no access to education, threatening a long-term academic gap for an entire generation.
In the healthcare sector, all 36 hospitals in Gaza have sustained damage, with only 19 still partially functional and none operating at full capacity, as reported by the World Health Organization. Shortages of fuel, medical equipment, and diagnostic tools have halted vital treatments, including care for cancer patients. Furthermore, only 12,400 patients have been medically evacuated since October 2023, leaving tens of thousands of others awaiting necessary care. The UN has warned that the combination of overcrowding and poor sanitation is creating severe risks for widespread disease outbreaks, which the crippled health system remains ill-equipped to address.
Expanding Israeli-controlled zones have further entrenched displacement. Organizations like Euro-Med have warned that these measures prevent displaced families from returning to their property, effectively formalizing a state of permanent dispossession. For those remaining, the reliance on generators for electricity and the necessity of navigating damaged communication and transport networks make every mundane task—from cooking to securing water—a complex logistical effort.
