As the 1000th day of Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip passes, the numbers have laid bare the scale of the humanitarian devastation. The collapse of the health system, mass displacement, and infrastructure destruction have made life nearly impossible for survivors.
Health system collapses, thousands of wounded stranded
94 percent of health facilities that were operational before October 2023 have been damaged or rendered unusable. This has made access to treatment nearly impossible for 173,000 wounded, including more than 42,000 with severe injuries.
The Gaza Health Ministry announced that Israel has blocked the travel of 17,000 patients and wounded who had received medical referral approval for treatment abroad. The ministry warned that death rates are rising among patients awaiting travel.
Limited passage at Rafah border crossing
The Rafah border crossing, which remained closed for about 20 months after the Israeli army seized control in May 2024, was partially reopened on February 2, 2026, as part of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. However, the crossing was closed again at the end of February on the grounds that war with Iran had begun, and it operated on a limited basis in March and April.
Since May 21, 2026, only pedestrian crossings have been allowed at the gate, with dozens of patients, wounded, and humanitarian cases able to cross daily under strict Israeli supervision. Despite this, thousands of cases inside Gaza continue to wait in line for travel.
Hunger and education crisis
73,000 people have died in the war. As of May 2026, more than 47,000 women have been widowed, and over 58,000 children have lost one or both parents.
Israeli attacks have destroyed 98.5 percent of agricultural land. In mid-August 2025, famine was officially declared in Gaza. 1.6 million Palestinians face food insecurity, including more than 100,000 children under five.
UNRWA's significant reduction of services due to funding shortages has deepened the crisis in food and education. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics recorded that between 2025 and 2026, around 55,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women suffered from severe malnutrition.
Infrastructure destroyed
97 percent of the drinking water network is unusable. 80 percent of energy infrastructure and more than 5,000 kilometers of electricity grid have been destroyed. Over 80 percent of main roads have become unusable.
95 percent of schools have been damaged, and 284 schools have been completely destroyed. Around 700,000 children are deprived of education, while more than 88,000 university students have been unable to continue their studies.
Israeli bombardment damaged 32,060 commercial and industrial facilities. The unemployment rate has reached 80 percent; only one in four people can participate in the active labor force. 268,000 homes have been completely destroyed, 148,000 homes have been severely damaged, and 2 million people have been displaced.
The United Nations estimates the total infrastructure loss in Gaza due to the Israeli war at around $70 billion.
Reconstruction debates
Andreas Krieg, a lecturer at King's College London's School of Security Studies and a researcher at the Institute of Middle East Studies, said that the reconstruction process in Gaza 'will be unlike any process in modern history.'
