UNITED NATIONS – More than 8,000 Palestinian fatalities were reported as of October 29, 2023, including 2,062 women, 3,324 children, and 460 elderly, according to the latest United Nations Report.
“A staggering 67 percent of these fatalities come from 825 families. Additionally, 20,242 injuries have been reported,” said the report, highlighting the significant humanitarian consequences due to escalating hostilities between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
The report also pointed at approximately 1,400 Israeli fatalities, with the majority occurring on October 7. This is in addition to at least 1,000 other fatalities in Israel, it added.
Notably, 1,870 people, including 1,020 children, are reported missing and may be trapped under debris.
Infrastructure and Essential Services
Significant damage has been inflicted on critical infrastructure, affecting people’s ability to maintain basic living standards, the report said.
At least 45 percent of Gaza’s housing units have been destroyed or damaged, with 16,441 units destroyed, 11,340 severely damaged and uninhabitable, and 150,000 lightly damaged, it added.
Food stocks, according to the UN report, are sufficient for 11 days, but shops may run out in 5 days. The only operational mill cannot process wheat due to electricity outages, leading to long waiting times for bread.
There’s a 92 percent reduction in water consumption compared to pre-hostility levels. Most of the 65 sewage pumping stations are non-operational, and there’s a 70 percent leakage in a main water pipeline.
Over one-third of hospitals and nearly two-thirds of primary health care facilities have shut down. Critical shortages of drugs, blood products, and supplies are reported. At least 16 health workers, 53 UNRWA staff, and 34 civil defense personnel have been killed while on duty.
About 625,000 students have no access to education, with over 40 percent of Gaza’s educational facilities hit.
Movement and Access
Crossings with Egypt and Israel have been closed, with sea access prohibited and restrictions near Israel’s perimeter fence. All 10 functioning hospitals in northern Gaza have received evacuation orders.
Since October 21, only 117 trucks with humanitarian aid have entered Gaza, a significant reduction from the pre-crisis average of 500 trucks per working day in 2023.
The UN is yet to produce independent, comprehensive, and verified casualty figures. The current numbers have been provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza and the Israeli authorities and await further verification, the United Nations report clarified.