Palestinians across Gaza Strip mark 1,000 days of war
One thousand days have passed since the Hamas-led attack on Israel sparked the war in Gaza. Other conflicts have emerged in the region, and fragile ceasefires show scars of persistent attacks. Both Israelis and Palestinians are weary of the strain.
Palestinians across the Gaza Strip say the conflict has shattered nearly every aspect of their lives, leaving families displaced, children without education and communities struggling to rebuild amid continuing violence.
Hundreds of tents now line the area near Gaza port and parts of Khan Younis, where many families remain displaced after their homes were destroyed. Despite a fragile ceasefire that took effect last October, Israeli strikes have continued almost daily, with more than 1,000 Palestinians killed since then, according to Gaza health officials.
“Our lives have been destroyed. All our lives have been destroyed. There’s no future. We got starved, sick, homeless, displaced, oppressed, humiliated… There’s nothing left, we have suffered a catastrophe of a lifetime,” said displaced resident Ragaa al-Akkad.
For many, the war’s impact is measured in personal loss. Eyad al-Khair said he lost his home, shop and relatives, while his son was left partially paralysed after being injured in the conflict.
Robbed of education and childhood
Health workers say hospitals have operated under relentless pressure throughout the war. Ahmed Hegazy, a nurse at Nasser Hospital, said medical staff have worked continuously while treating a steady stream of casualties.
“Our work shifts during the 1,000 days, we worked 24/7 without going back home. We don’t see our families,” Hegazy said.
Teachers say the conflict has also robbed children of their education and childhood.
“Today, children stand in queues for water and at charity kitchens instead of queues at school,” said displaced teacher Doha al-Atta. “Our children are suffering from ignorance, and they have no space where they could learn or a place where they can live safely.”
For shop owner Mahmoud Ashour, the destruction has erased years of progress.
“We had everything before the war and now, we’re just craving a bite to eat,” he said.
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has since killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and whose casualty figures are generally regarded as reliable by the international community, though Israel disputes them.
The fate of over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, largely displaced and living amid ruins, remains uncertain. Israeli forces controlled over half of the territory under the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, but Israel’s government has expanded that and says it aims to hold 70 percent.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 1,053 Palestinians dead since the ceasefire, including over 350 women and children.
