The Gaza Strip’s population has decreased by 6% during the 15-month-long war with Israel, as approximately 100,000 Palestinians have fled and over 55,000 are presumed dead, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
The PCBS, citing data from the Palestinian Health Ministry, reported that around 45,500 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, have been confirmed killed since the conflict began, with an additional 11,000 missing. This has contributed to a net population decline of roughly 160,000, leaving Gaza’s population at an estimated 2.1 million, of whom 47% are children under 18.
In a statement, the bureau described the conflict as a “brutal aggression” by Israel, targeting civilians, infrastructure, and entire families. It highlighted the “catastrophic human and material losses,” asserting that some families had been entirely erased from official records.
Israel’s foreign ministry dismissed the PCBS figures, calling them “fabricated, inflated, and manipulated to vilify Israel.”
The war has reignited allegations of genocide against Israel, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in January 2024 that Israel must prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians. Pope Francis has also urged the global community to examine whether Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the criteria for genocide. Israel has consistently denied these accusations, stating it is acting in self-defense after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis.
The PCBS also highlighted worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, with 22% of the population facing severe food insecurity. It warned that 3,500 children are at immediate risk of death from malnutrition and starvation.
