{"id":20083,"date":"2025-07-10T16:08:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T16:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/?p=20083"},"modified":"2025-07-10T16:08:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T16:08:05","slug":"gazas-population-declines-sharply-amid-ongoing-israeli-war-and-humanitarian-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/2025\/07\/10\/gazas-population-declines-sharply-amid-ongoing-israeli-war-and-humanitarian-collapse\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaza\u2019s Population Declines Sharply Amid Ongoing Israeli War and Humanitarian Collapse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watan<\/strong><\/em>-A Palestinian official report revealed an unprecedented decline in the population of the Gaza Strip, driven by the ongoing Israeli war, which has caused a massive increase in the number of martyrs, missing persons, and mass displacement outside the territory.<\/p>\n

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, updated population estimates indicate that Gaza’s population has dropped to approximately 2,129,724, a 6% decrease compared to projections for mid-2024. The figure further drops to 2,114,301, marking a 10% decline compared to mid-2025 projections.<\/p>\n

The report highlighted that Israel’s deliberate targeting of young demographics\u2014especially children and youth\u2014is expected to cause a fundamental disruption to Gaza\u2019s demographic structure, particularly the base of its population pyramid, which is critical for any society\u2019s natural growth.<\/p>\n

This demographic impact, the report warned, will not only affect the present but also extend into the medium- and long-term future, as the loss of large numbers of men and women of reproductive age is expected to lead to a future drop in birth rates, causing a widening demographic gap and long-term consequences for Gaza\u2019s social structure.<\/p>\n

\"A
Official Palestinian report reveals 10% population drop in Gaza, severe demographic disruption, and growing collapse of civil defense amid Israeli attacks and blockade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The findings came in a report published on World Population Day, under the global theme: \u201c8 Billion People: Infinite Possibilities\u2014Rights and Responsibilities\u201d. The bureau stressed that this day comes as Palestine, especially Gaza, suffers from an unprecedented humanitarian and demographic catastrophe due to Israel\u2019s ongoing aggression.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the global theme calls for empowering individuals and ensuring reproductive and health rights and equal opportunities, the reality in Gaza reflects the opposite\u2014where fundamental human rights are systematically violated, including the right to life, health, shelter, education, and human dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israel has waged a full-scale assault on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, committing what have been described as war crimes and acts of genocide, severely damaging all aspects of life in the besieged territory.<\/p>\n

The bureau also noted that the global Palestinian population<\/a> is now estimated at 15.2 million as of mid-2025, about half of whom live outside historic Palestine. Within the State of Palestine, the population is approximately 5.5 million, including 2.8 million males and 2.7 million females. Meanwhile, around 1.9 million Palestinians live within the 1948 borders (now Israel), and 7.8 million live in the diaspora\u20146.5 million of them in Arab countries.<\/p>\n

Civil Defense Crisis in Gaza<\/h3>\n

In a separate but related development, Gaza\u2019s Civil Defense announced Thursday that all of its emergency vehicles in the Gaza and North Gaza governorates have stopped operating\u2014except for one firetruck\u2014due to a lack of spare parts and maintenance capabilities.<\/p>\n

The agency said it has also suspended operations in the southern governorates (Central, Khan Younis, and Rafah), grounding 3 of 6 fire engines and 4 of 6 ambulances that serve tens of thousands of civilians.<\/p>\n

The agency warned that this suspension of critical humanitarian operations comes at a time of intensified Israeli attacks, describing the situation as “catastrophic,” especially as Israel tightens its so-called \u201chumanitarian zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even before the war, Civil Defense suffered from severe shortages due to Israel\u2019s deliberate targeting of its vehicles by airstrikes or bulldozers. The agency has previously reported a shortage of personnel, with rescue teams being killed, injured, or arrested during operations.<\/p>\n