74,228 Killed &175,188 Injured : Three Years of War Have Eroded Families’ Resilience & Deepened Dependence on Assistance
As the War on the Gaza Strip Marks Three Years and Enters Its Fourth Year, Ministry of Social Development Calls on the International Community to Intervene to Curb Widening Poverty, Displacement, and Growing Protection Needs in Gaza
Ramallah – The Ministry of Social Development affirmed that, as the war on the Gaza Strip marks three years and enters its fourth year, its consequences can no longer be measured solely by the scale of destruction and human losses, but also by the profound changes it has caused in the lives of Palestinian families, including an unprecedented expansion of poverty and displacement, loss of income sources, and growing protection and care needs, while the war continues and the burdens borne by citizens continue to increase.
According to the latest data available as of 3 October, the number of Palestinians killed has risen to 74,228, while 175,188 have been injured. These figures reflect only part of the cumulative human cost of the war and its consequences, including the loss of family breadwinners, family separation, and the growing number of people requiring social and psychological care and long-term rehabilitation.
The Ministry stressed that the situation of persons with disabilities and those injured represents one of the most significant long-term challenges. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 43,000 injured people have sustained potentially life-changing injuries, including around 10,000 children, while the number of amputations has exceeded 5,000, alongside tens of thousands of injuries requiring ongoing rehabilitation and care services.
Older persons are also facing extremely difficult conditions. According to the latest data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), approximately 109,000 people aged 60 years and above were living in the Gaza Strip as of mid-2026, amid repeated displacement and difficulties accessing medicines, care, and essential services. Many are also living with chronic illnesses or limited mobility, further increasing their vulnerability during emergencies.
The Ministry stressed that three consecutive years of war have exhausted families’ capacity to cope. Many have lost their homes, jobs, savings, and sources of income and have become increasingly dependent on assistance to secure food, medicines, and daily necessities. The latest food security projections indicate that more than 1.4 million people, approximately 67% of the Gaza Strip’s population, are expected to face Crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity through the end of the year, including approximately 212,000 people in Emergency.
The Ministry emphasized that these realities require the situation in Gaza to be addressed as a protracted social protection crisis rather than a temporary humanitarian emergency. This requires combining food and cash assistance with protection, psychosocial support, and care services, alongside education, economic empowerment, and livelihood restoration, to help families regain a degree of stability and independence rather than remain dependent on emergency assistance.
With winter approaching, the Ministry warned of increasing risks facing displaced families, many of whom have spent extended periods in tents and temporary shelters. It stressed the urgent need to accelerate the entry of shelter materials, tarpaulins, insulation materials, blankets, and winter clothing and ensure that they reach the families most in need before weather conditions worsen.
The Ministry stressed that the continued entry of commercial goods cannot compensate for the limited flow of humanitarian assistance, particularly given the collapse in the purchasing power of thousands of families. It emphasized that the availability of goods in markets does not mean that families can afford them and that sustained humanitarian funding and expanded cash assistance are essential to protecting the most vulnerable groups.
The Ministry affirmed that the National Social Registry serves as the primary reference for identifying families, their needs, and levels of vulnerability, while the Unified Social Assistance Portal provides a tool for organizing and coordinating interventions, reducing duplication, and ensuring that resources are directed to eligible households in a more equitable and transparent manner.
The Ministry of Social Development called on the international community to provide sustainable and flexible funding for relief, protection, education, economic empowerment, and rehabilitation programmes, and to ensure the regular flow of humanitarian assistance and essential supplies. It stressed that, after three years of war, the response must move beyond managing daily needs toward protecting people and restoring their capacity to recover.
The Ministry concluded by emphasizing that the completion of three years of war does not make what Gaza is enduring a normal reality; rather, it reveals the scale of exhaustion inflicted on families and society and increases the responsibility to protect citizens and guarantee their rights to food, shelter, education, care, and a life of dignity.