Gaza Death Toll Climbs: Nearly 100,000 Palestinians Dead
A new report indicates a devastating human cost from the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with the death toll soaring to an estimated 100,000. This grim figure, representing approximately four percent of the territory’s population, underscores the conflict’s profound impact and the urgent need for resolution.
Shocking Figures Emerge
The escalating loss of life is attributed not only to direct military actions but also to the secondary effects of the war. These include widespread hunger, exposure to cold, and rampant disease due to the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system. International experts increasingly believe these numbers are credible, with the real toll potentially even higher than reported. The Gaza Health Ministry’s official count currently stands at 56,300 fatalities since the start of the offensive in October 2023.
“They concluded that, as of January 2025, some 75,200 people died a violent death in Gaza during the war, the vast majority caused by Israeli munitions,”
—Report Source
A survey of 2,000 Palestinian households, representing around 10,000 people, was conducted by Professor Michael Spagat, an economist specializing in conflict-related fatalities. Spagat‘s findings place the conflict among the deadliest of the 21st century, with the percentage of women and children killed more than double the rates seen in other major conflicts, like Kosovo and Sudan.
The United Nations estimates that over 1.7 million people—more than 75% of Gaza’s population—have been displaced since the beginning of the conflict. (UN OCHA 2024).
Devastating Impact
Another study, published on the Harvard Dataverse platform, estimates that at least 377,000 Palestinian residents have been “eliminated” since the start of the Israeli military campaign. This figure represents about 17 percent of Gaza’s current population, estimated to be around 1.85 million.
International pressure for a ceasefire continues to mount as the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials. Additionally, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing a genocide case related to the war in Gaza.
