Gaza war’s 1st anniversary echoes with ongoing suffering, massive destruction
GAZA CITY
Millions of Palestinians have solemnly marked the first anniversary of the war in the Gaza Strip, surrounded by wreckage, destruction and a humanitarian crisis, having been repeatedly displaced with no sign of hope for an end to the conflict.
Hamas' attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, with 250 people taken hostage.
In retaliation, Israel sealed off Gaza and ordered a total blockade and siege on the enclave targeting numerous locations for months, including several schools and hospitals where civilians sought refuge.
Israel's campaign has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza — 1.9 million of its 2.3 million Palestinians — and killed more than 41,800 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Most families have been uprooted multiple times.
Some international organizations estimate that the true death toll, with many still trapped beneath the debris, may be significantly higher. Gaza’s media office reported that all members of 902 families were entirely wiped out.
On the war's first anniversary, journalists captured images of Gazan families setting up tents amid the ruins. Now, debris towers over narrow, dust-laden paths, once bustling pedestrian streets and sidewalks.
The U.N. estimates there are over 42 million tons of rubble in the Gaza Strip, including shattered structures still standing and completely demolished buildings.
This colossal mass of debris could fill Egypt’s largest pyramid, the Great Pyramid of Giza, 11 times over.
Even if a ceasefire were declared and the war ended today, it is believed that clearing the rubble alone would take 14 years, while rebuilding Gaza would take even longer. Yet, the trauma, fear and the proximity of thousands of deaths will linger, overshadowing the arduous road to recovery.
Mass global marches
In a bid to show support and solidarity on the one-year mark, tens of thousands of protesters marched in cities around the world over the weekend, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
In Washington, more than 1,000 protesters demonstrated outside the White House, demanding the United States, Israel's top military supplier, stop providing weapons and aid to Israel.
One man attempted to set himself on fire, succeeding in lighting his left arm ablaze before bystanders and police extinguished the flames.
Around 5,000 people joined a pro-Palestinian protest in Madrid, brandishing signs with messages such as "Boycott Israel.”
In Cape Town in South Africa, hundreds walked to parliament, chanting: "Israel is a racist state" and "We are all Palestinian."
Thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters also gathered in cities across Europe, Africa, Australia and the Americas to demand an end to the conflict.
Other pro-Palestinian protests were planned over the weekend and today in cities including New York, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Manila and Karachi.
Türkiye also witnessed several marches across the country in support of Palestinians.
In Israel, meanwhile, families of hostages in Gaza staged a protest to call on the government to reach a ceasefire deal for their loved ones. The families accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of abandoning the lives of the hostages to preserve his political position.
An official anniversary ceremony will be held in Jerusalem today.
In a video message, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that since Oct. 7, 2023, a wave of “shocking violence and bloodshed” has erupted.
“The war that has followed the terrible attacks of one year ago continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human suffering for Palestinians in Gaza and now the people of Lebanon,” he said.
“I have spoken out about this often and clearly. It is time for the release of the hostages. Time to silence the guns. Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region. Time for peace, international law and justice.”