GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law has suggested that the number of people killed in Gaza could surpass 200,000, citing estimates indicating that the territory’s population has declined by more than 10 percent since October 2023 due to ongoing military operations and the widespread destruction they have caused.
Stuart Casey-Maslen, head of the Academy’s project on international humanitarian law, said that the figures released so far may not reflect the full scale of human losses, noting that a significant number of victims are likely still buried beneath the rubble and have yet to be recovered or officially documented.
Casey-Maslen added that the marked decrease in Gaza’s population is a grave indicator of the magnitude of the humanitarian catastrophe. While stressing the need for independent verification of the estimates, he said that, if confirmed, the actual death toll would far exceed the officially reported figures.
He further noted that rebuilding Gaza will require many years of sustained effort and investments amounting to billions of dollars, given the extensive destruction inflicted on infrastructure, homes, and essential facilities.
Military operations in the territory continue despite a ceasefire agreement, amid growing warnings of worsening humanitarian conditions due to acute shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical services, as residents struggle to access basic necessities.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Ministry of Health announced that, since October 7, 2023, the official death toll has risen to 72,045, with 171,686 people injured. In the past 24 hours alone, hospitals received eight bodies, including three recovered from under the rubble, in addition to 20 injured individuals.
The ministry also reported that violations of the ceasefire agreement, in effect since October 10, 2025, have resulted in 591 additional deaths and 1,578 injuries. It added that a number of victims remain trapped under debris or in the streets, as ambulance and civil defense teams face significant challenges in reaching them.
