October 7, 2023 – January 22, 2024:
The initial quarter following the onset of Israeli military operations against the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Al-Quds represents the most critical phase discussed in this volume. Data indicate that from October 7, 2023, to January 2024, Israeli military actions resulted in the deaths of 23,843 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which included more than 7,000 women and over 10,300 children. Additionally, approximately 60,317 Palestinians sustained injuries, with around 8,000 individuals reportedly trapped under debris.
During this aggressive period, the toll included over 112 journalists, 373 health professionals, 148 United Nations staff members, 4,257 students, and 227 educators and administrators who lost their lives.
According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, approximately 290,000 housing units in the Gaza Strip sustained damage because of the Israeli land, air, and maritime bombardment within the first three months of this barbaric attack.
The bombing resulted in the rendering of approximately 65,000 housing units uninhabitable and led to the complete destruction of around 25,010 structures. In addition, 145 mosques and three churches were demolished. The healthcare infrastructure suffered significantly, with 30 hospitals rendered inoperable and an additional 26 sustaining various levels of damage. Furthermore, the attack resulted in the destruction of 121 ambulances, thus incapacitating them for emergency response.
The Israeli occupation’s airstrikes resulted in the destruction of 95 educational institutions, encompassing both school and university buildings. Additionally, 295 institutions sustained varying degrees of partial damage. Notably, 130 facilities under the management of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which include educational establishments, were directly targeted by the Israeli military bombardment.
As reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Public Works, the Israeli aggression has resulted in the destruction of over 250,000 housing units to varying extents. Approximately 35% of urban territories have sustained significant damage, with more than 40% of critical infrastructure rendered completely inoperable. This destruction encompasses essential systems, including transportation networks, water and sewage infrastructure, electrical distribution lines, and communication systems.
The ongoing Israeli aggression has led to the displacement of approximately 1.93 million Palestinians, constituting 85% of Gaza’s overall population. This displacement often involves multiple relocations as individuals seek safety. Currently, around 1.4 million internally displaced people (IDPs) are documented within 155 UNRWA facilities. The Rafah Governorate has emerged as the primary refuge for these IDPs, accommodating over one million individuals in a highly congested urban landscape.
According to UNRWA, the IDPs sheltered in its 156 facilities across the Gaza Strip have reached an estimated 914,000. This population includes approximately 5,000 pregnant women and over 2,000 individuals with disabilities, as well as a significant number of children, infants, and those suffering from chronic or serious health conditions.
Notably, October 2023 saw the highest incidence of arrests, with a recorded total of 2,070, coinciding with the escalation of Israeli aggression and humanitarian crises in Gaza.
The OIC Media Observatory for Israeli Crimes against Palestinians conducted an extensive documentation of violations in the West Bank, Al-Quds, and the Gaza Strip during the period from October 7, 2023, to January 22, 2024. The report indicates that a total of 25,696 individuals were recorded as martyrs across the Palestinian territories, alongside 65,028 documented injuries sustained by civilians and combatants alike. This data highlights the significant impact of ongoing hostilities in the region.
In the West Bank and Al-Quds, there were a total of 5,933 arrests, coupled with 716 incidents of settler violence. Additionally, the data indicates 48 instances of settlement expansion activities, the issuance of 15 decisions regarding land confiscation by Israeli authorities, and 283 reported confiscations along with incidents of arson and destruction of Palestinian property. This includes 173 demolitions of residential structures, 191 assaults on agricultural land, and the dismantling of 24 commercial entities.
The Observatory further recorded 92 attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque, 34 on the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, and 12 assaults on mosques across various towns and villages in the West Bank.
On January 11, 2024, a historic legal milestone occurred as Israel, the occupying power, made its inaugural appearance before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. This session arose from a lawsuit initiated by South Africa, which alleges that Israel is guilty of perpetrating acts of “genocide” against the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip.