Gaza Residents Endure Devastation as War Reaches Two Years
Two years into the war, Gaza is devastated: more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 170,000 wounded, thousands are missing or believed buried under rubble, and the vast majority of residents have been repeatedly displaced while families search for missing relatives. The anniversary has intensified political and moral conflict â the Vaticanâs secretary of state called Israelâs offensive an âongoing massacreâ and questioned arms transfers, while Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vow to bring home the remaining roughly 48 hostages and eliminate Hamas.
War & Conflict
International
Humanitarian
đ Key Facts
- Across reporting, roughly 67,000+ Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 1,200â2,000 Israelis killed; about 250â255 people were taken hostage on Oct. 7, of whom roughly 48 remain captive and about 20 are believed to be alive.
- Gaza authorities say about 6,000 people are still believed buried under rubble and roughly 3,600 others are reported missing (only ~200 cases investigated so far); the ICRC separately lists at least 7,000 unresolved missing cases.
- The human toll is vast and ongoing: about 1 in 10 people has been killed or injured, nine in 10 displaced, approximately 4 of every 100 children have lost one or both parents; reporting cites nearly 170,000 wounded, over 40,000 with lifeâaltering injuries (WHO), and more than 2,000 people seeking food killed.
- Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin publicly called Israelâs Gaza offensive an 'ongoing massacre,' warned that even legitimate selfâdefense must observe proportionality, and questioned the legitimacy of continuing to supply weapons used against civilians.
- The war has widened regionally: coverage reports Israel has struck multiple neighboring countries (cited as eight in one piece), and some outlets report a June campaign in which the United States joined Israel in strikes on Iranâs military and nuclear program, reflecting broader regional escalation.
- Firstâperson testimony highlights civilian suffering and captivity: freed hostage Aviva Siegel described being shot, beaten, starved and seeing other captives abused; she was held 51 days (her husband Keith about 484 days), illustrating the human cost behind the hostage counts.
- On the twoâyear anniversary, Israelis staged memorials (including thousands visiting the Nova/Reim festival site and observing a moment of silence at 6:29 a.m.); split memorial plansâfamilyâorganized events vs. separate government ceremoniesâunderscore domestic political divisions over handling the war and the hostage issue.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated three central war aimsâreturn all hostages, eliminate Hamasâs control in Gaza, and ensure Gaza cannot again threaten Israelâand Israeli officials cite an IDF figure of 251 people taken into tunnels; talks in Egypt are ongoing this week over a U.S. (Trump) peace/hostage plan aimed at returning roughly 48 remaining hostages.
đ Contextual Background
- When the leadership echelon of an armed group is degraded or communications are disrupted, decentralized or multiple armed actors can complicate centralized control and communication, which can make coordinated, full hostage releases difficult and lead to staged or phased releases as logistics permit.
- A 2025 U.S. peace plan specified that Hamas would release 48 remaining hostages, about 20 of whom were believed to be alive, within three days.
- A 2025 U.S. peace plan linked a hostage release to a reciprocal exchange involving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
đ° Sources (8)
Netanyahu, on 2-year mark of Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack, says Israel 'not broken,' vows to bring hostages home
New information:
- Direct, attributable public statement and quotes from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the twoâyear anniversary.
- Specific pledge of three central war aims by Netanyahu: return of all hostages, elimination of Hamasâs control in Gaza, and a permanent guarantee that Gaza will not again threaten Israel.
- Citation of IDF figure (251 taken into tunnels) and explicit reference to ongoing talks in Egypt this week over President Trumpâs peace/hostage plan and the return of roughly 48 hostages.
Reporter's Notebook: Hamas Oct 7 attacks survivor recalls Gaza captivity 2 years later
New information:
- Firstâperson interview quotes from freed hostage Aviva Siegel describing being shot, taken underground, beaten, starved and seeing Hamas militants abuse other captives
- Specific captivity durations for the Siegels: Aviva held 51 days and Keith held approximately 484 days
- Reiterated and specific casualty/hostage counts referenced in the interview: more than 1,200 Israelis killed, 251 initially taken, 48 remain and 20 believed alive
Israel marks 2 years since Oct. 7 attack as Gaza war grinds on
New information:
- Onâtheâground memorial details at the Nova (Reim) musicâfestival site: thousands visited, survivors played the same track and observed a moment of silence at 6:29 a.m., the exact time the Oct. 7 attack began.
- Report highlights split memorial plans: a familyâorganized memorial in Tel Aviv for the evening and a separate government ceremony scheduled next week according to the Hebrew calendar, illustrating domestic political divisions over handling the war and hostage issue.
- Article reiterates specific Oct. 7 attack counts (â1,200 killed; 251 abducted) and states 48 hostages remain, about 20 believed alive â giving a concise hostage tally tied to the anniversary.
- Text states the United States 'joined Israel in attacking Iranâs military and nuclear program in a 12âday war in June,' an explicit reference to U.S. military involvement that frames wider regional escalation.
How 2 years of war have devastated Palestinian lives in Gaza
New information:
- Detailed perâcapita humanâimpact framing: 'out of every 10 people, one has been killed or injured; nine are displaced; out of every 100 children, four have lost either one or both parents.'
- A specific count that 'more than 2,000 people seeking food have been killed,' cited to Gazaâs Health Ministry in the piece.
- Explicit updated totals reiterated: 'more than 67,000 Palestinians killed' and 'nearly 170,000 wounded,' with more than 40,000 described as having lifeâaltering injuries (WHO).
Thousands in Gaza are missing 2 years into the war. Tormented families search for clues
New information:
- Gaza Health Ministry reports about 6,000 people still believed buried under rubble and roughly 3,600 others reported missing to the ministry (only ~200 investigated so far).
- ICRC reports at least 7,000 unresolved missing cases on its own list (separate from rubble counts).
- Onâtheâground human detail: firstâperson account from Mohammad alâNajjar about his missing 23âyearâold son and repeated displacements (nine camps).
How two years of war in Gaza have changed the Middle East forever
New information:
- Aggregate casualty and hostage tallies reiterated and summarized (nearly 2,000 Israelis killed; more than 67,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza; hostage counts: 255 taken, 148 returned alive, 59 bodies retrieved, 20 of remaining 48 believed alive).
- Assertion that 'Israel has struck eight countries in total since Oct. 7' as a concise regional metric of the war's crossâborder scope.
- Regional political outcomes claimed in the piece (examples cited: 'In Syria, the Assad regime ... fell to rebels after 50 years,' and a claimed major degradation of Iran's nuclear program after '12 days of bombing by Israel, with U.S. participation').
Popeâs top diplomat blasts Israelâs Gaza offensive as âongoing massacre,â condemns Hamas attacks
New information:
- Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin publicly labeled Israelâs Gaza offensive an 'ongoing massacre' and warned that even legitimate selfâdefense must observe proportionality.
- Parolin explicitly questioned the legitimacy of continuing to supply weapons used against civilians.
- Article cites Reuters reporting that Hamasârun Gaza health authorities put Gaza deaths at over 67,000.