The state of Gaza after 15 months of war

A complex and fragile deal to pause fighting in the Gaza Strip has been reached, with hostilities expected to cease on Sunday — more than 15 months after the Israel-Hamas war began.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 46,000 Palestinians have died, and over 110,000 have been injured since the war broke out. The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking another 250 hostage. In response, Israel launched a military campaign that has devastated much of Gaza.

As a ceasefire draws near — the exact time of which has not been confirmed — these maps and charts illustrate the extent of destruction in Gaza since the start of the war.

More than half of Gaza damaged or destroyed

An analysis of satellite imagery by researchers at Oregon State University reveals that approximately 59 per cent of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed since Oct. 12, 2023, when the study began. The hardest hit area is Gaza City and the surrounding Gaza Governorate, where 74 per cent of buildings have been scarred or demolished by the war.

The human toll

As the ceasefire was officially announced, the death toll in Gaza exceeded 46,000, according to the region's Ministry of Health. However, due to the chaos of war, verifying the exact number of casualties has been challenging and subject to scrutiny.

A peer-reviewed study published in The Lancet on Jan. 9 suggests that the official figures may be significantly underestimated. On June 30, 2024, the Gaza Health Ministry reported 37,877 deaths, whereas the academic study estimated the number to be around 64,200 by that date.

The UN Human Rights Office has also commented on the toll. In a November 2024 report, it stated that 70 per cent of fatalities were women and children.

Israel's major operations in Gaza

As the ceasefire approaches, data from the Institute for the Study of War provides insight into Israeli military operations in Gaza.

Map data indicates large operations in hardest-hit Gaza Governorate, many Israeli troops remain active in large parts of Rafah, a strategic region for Israel. One key area of interest is the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow strip of land bordering Egypt. Israel has sought to control this area to monitor crossings into Egypt. However, a Reuters report suggests that as part of the ceasefire deal, Israeli forces will withdraw from the corridor.

As part of the phased ceasefire accord, Israel has agreed to pull out of populated areas during the first phase, expected to last six weeks, and are expected to fully withdraw from Gaza during the second phase, the details of which have yet to be finalized.