After two years of a war marked by genocide, starvation, displacement, and relentless bombardment, Gaza now looks towards peace. The war has turned it into a ghost city — its infrastructure destroyed, its economy crippled, its population drastically reduced, and its trade, industry, environment, and public health all imperilled. The besieged Gaza Strip no longer exists as it did before 7 October 2023 — the date when brutal Israeli aggression began. Today marks its second year; tomorrow it enters its third.

With unparalleled savagery, Israel committed horrific crimes in the Palestinian territory, deploying its full arsenal of lethal weapons for killing and destruction through indiscriminate bombing, siege, incursions, and systematic annihilation across the Strip — north to south, east to west.

The enclave has endured continuous suffering, losing countless martyrs over 730 days, in what has become the longest and bloodiest war in the history of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict — and possibly in the modern world. What began as a military confrontation has morphed into a humanitarian and geopolitical crisis reshaping the entire region.

Reports reveal indescribable human suffering and destruction affecting every aspect of life in Gaza, under siege for more than 18 years. This is the result of a scorched-earth policy by Israeli occupation forces, flouting international and humanitarian law.

Official and international reports state that most cities and refugee camps have become ghost towns, emptied of residents forcibly displaced to the southern Strip. The area has been described as a disaster zone, with destruction stretching from the eastern border to the Mediterranean Sea. Almost nothing remains intact — homes lie in ruins, buildings have collapsed, and schools, mosques, universities, and institutions are levelled to the ground.

According to documented reports and testimonies, the humanitarian catastrophe defies description. Tens of thousands have been martyred, hundreds of thousands wounded, and more than two million people live in tents or amid rubble. Famine spreads as food security collapses, clean water is scarce, and diseases rampant. Hospitals are nearly incapacitated due to critical shortages of medicines and equipment, putting patients’ lives at constant risk. Gaza has become the largest open-air theatre of suffering in the 21st century.

The Government Media Office in Gaza reports that about 90% of the Strip has been destroyed. Thirty-eight hospitals have been either demolished or rendered non-functional, while Israeli forces now control roughly 80% of the territory through invasions and bombardment.

Since the start of the war, more than 200,000 tonnes of explosives have been dropped on Gaza, and 95% of schools have been partially or completely damaged. According to the same office, 67,160 Palestinians have been martyred — the majority women and children — and 169,679 others injured. Some 2,700 families have been entirely wiped out, while more than 460 people have died of hunger and malnutrition amid the ongoing siege and shortage of humanitarian supplies.

It further states that 244 government headquarters and 292 sports and educational facilities have been destroyed, alongside widespread damage to municipal services. Thousands of commercial establishments, banks, currency exchanges, and markets have been affected. Preliminary losses across 15 economic sectors are estimated at $70bn — covering only direct damage, excluding production halts, brain drain, and reduced commercial capacity.

Housing sector losses alone approach $28bn, with about 268,000 housing units completely or partially destroyed. Energy infrastructure losses are estimated at $1.4bn.

The United Nations estimates the volume of rubble at over 61mn tonnes, 15% of which is contaminated with toxic materials. More than 1.5mn people are in urgent need of shelter amid severe food shortages and an almost total collapse of medical services, as humanitarian organisations such as the International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders have been forced to suspend operations due to the intensity of Israeli bombardment.

Despite this brutality, Israeli forces have failed to achieve the decisive victory promised by their leaders. Gaza and its people have remained steadfast behind sealed borders by land, air, and sea. The Strip has succeeded in returning the Palestinian cause to the forefront of global attention, proving it is not merely a small geographic entity, but a central knot at the heart of Middle Eastern geopolitics.

Qatar’s mediation role
From the outset of the war of extermination on 7 October 2023, Qatar has been one of the most active and effective mediators, striving for a comprehensive ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade, and an end to humanitarian suffering in Gaza.

Believing in the power of diplomacy, Qatar has continued joint efforts with Egypt and the United States to halt hostilities, open crossings, and deliver food, medical, and relief aid to Gaza’s population. Its mediation has included political, diplomatic, and humanitarian dimensions, as well as direct transfer of medical assistance. In co-ordination with Egypt and the US, Qatari efforts have secured two ceasefires during which hundreds of prisoners and hostages were exchanged, and significant quantities of aid entered Gaza.

Despite repeated Israeli aggression, Qatar has remained committed to its humanitarian role as a peacemaker and dialogue hub, tirelessly pursuing a resolution to the crisis. On October 3, Qatar welcomed the announcement by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) of its acceptance of US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza and its readiness to release all hostages as part of the exchange formula contained in the proposal.

Through HE Dr Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed its support for the US president’s call for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate the safe and swift release of hostages and halt the bloodshed of Palestinians in Gaza.

He confirmed that Qatar, working with its partners in Egypt and in co-ordination with the US, had begun discussions to complete the plan to end the war. The foreign ministers noted Hamas’ readiness to hand over control of Gaza to a transitional Palestinian administrative committee of independent technocrats. They stressed the urgency of beginning negotiations to implement the proposal and address all its aspects.

Looking ahead
As the war on Gaza enters its third year, its people await a ceasefire following President Trump’s direct intervention, which revived hope for a swift resolution through his 20-point plan aimed at achieving long-awaited peace in the Middle East.

In this context, Gaza — that small, besieged land — stands at a critical crossroads, a model of resilience and hope. Its people know that the path to peace is long, arduous, and fraught with obstacles, yet they also know it is not impossible.