The toll levied by the war rises further

As of the 11th December 2024, the war in Gaza has killed 44,805 Palestinians have been killed and 106,257 wounded since the start of the war. Furthermore, nearly 800 people have been killed in the West Bank since October 7th.

Since October 7th, at least 337 aid workers have been killed working in Gaza, of which 251 were UN staff. In addition at least 137 journalists and other media workers have lost their lives since the start of the war.

Meanwhile: Including the Hamas attack on the 7th October, the war has killed 1, 787 Israelis and foreign nationals and has wounded 2,456 Israeli soldiers who were operating within Gaza or on its borders. 

Current situation in Gaza 

In the aftermath, of the killing of Yahya Sinwar by the IDF, his brother, Mohammed, has assumed the position of Hamas political leader in Gaza. 

Israel has been conducting a large military operation in northern Gaza, the areas of Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and parts of Jabalya especially have been put under a tightened siege. The siege in the north has been conducted according to a ‘general’s plan’ (proposed by General Eiland), hoping that turning the area into a combat zone would force out all civilians and starve those that remained. In Jabalya, hospitals, schools and refugee camps have been struck by Israel’s artillery and airstrikes, killing hundreds and injuring hundreds more. Nearly 130,000 people have been displaced by the siege and have been pushed southwards towards Gaza City. The conflict in Gaza has now displaced 79% of the strips’ population via evacuation orders from the IDF and the harsh reality of living within a combat zone. Nearly 2 million people are now displaced, some having been forced to move over 10 times in the past year. 

Food insecurity is an increasingly drastic problem in Gaza. Since the start of the year, there have been 22,000 cases of acute malnutrition reported to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. There has also been a surge in cases of children suffering from acute malnutrition since the month of October, 74% of cases reported in the past two months are children.  

With the winter months arriving, rain has become a significant concern for those refugees living without adequate shelter, especially as storms hit the coastline. Displaced peoples are without shelter, have been forced onto flooding beaches and continue to suffer from a lack of food, clean water and access to adequate toilets and showers. Temperatures in Gaza will go as low as 10℃ which is extremely dangerous when the housing stock available to Palestinians is either out of reach or destroyed; 200,000 units have been destroyed by air strikes which means that 1 million people will be without adequate access to resources during winter. 

Worsening aid situation

October was the worst month recorded for delivered aid to Gaza. with only 836 trucks entering Gaza for the whole month, this is in stark contrast to before the war when 500 aid trucks would enter the strip daily. 

In north Gaza, the siege has blocked all access to vital aid for civilians and residents still in the area. The majority of UN attempts to bring aid into the area have been blocked according to OCHA. Most trucks are held up at the border by Israel’s military. In November, only 40% of proposed convoy movements actually crossed the border into Gaza, the rest were impeded by security issues or logistical challenges or were denied access by Israel’s authorities. 

The UN humanitarian aid convoys have also been attacked when they enter Gaza. In 2024, UN trucks came under attack 75 times, with this happening 15 times in November. UN facilities that held aid have been attacked 34 times since the start of the year. On the 16th November, 98 trucks were looted in a single attack at the Karem Abu Salem crossing. There have been reports that the looters are under IDF protection in as much of the looting has occurred in areas under military control and that the looters have been equipped with assault rifles.

The aid situation will only worsen as the UN announced on the 1st December that they had henceforth cancelled all further aid convoys through Karem Abu Salem. Furthermore World Central Kitchen (WCK) has announced they will be pausing their operations in Gaza after an air strike by Israel killed WCK staff.

ICC issues warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, free speech under threat

On the 21st November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant. The ICC said that Netanyahu and Gallant had knowingly withheld food and other necessities from the civilian population of Gaza. This was based on the Israeli military’s impediments of humanitarian aid reaching the strip and that whatever aid was approved often happened after pressure from the United States or international community; aid is not meant to be delivered conditionally.  

Since the war started, Israel has been under a military censor; all national security news must go through the IDF’s censors first. Haaretz, which has been reporting on the situation in Gaza and has criticised the Netanyahu administration’s handling of the conflict, was boycotted by a cabinet resolution on Sunday 24th. Israel’s government has also gone after the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, with a bill in the Knesset proposing to privatise it. 

Israel has continued to support settlers in the West Bank and with the election of Donald Trump in November, certain members of the Netanyahu administration have been emboldened to propose increased encroachment on the West Bank by Israeli settlers. 

Potential Ceasefire?

The Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon has been stopped via ceasefire since Wednesday 27th November. As it seems to be holding at the time of writing, the conversation has moved to the possibilities of a ceasefire in Gaza. Currently it seems far-away that a ceasefire could occur, Netanyahu has repeated his support of a ‘total victory’ against Hamas, his coalition is reliant on a number of far-right Israeli parties who would balk at concessions to Hamas, such as prisoner releases.

However an Israeli delegation led by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar landed in Cairo on recently to discuss a possible cease-fire deal in Gaza, the London based Al-Araby al-Jadeed news agency reported, adding that a special envoy chosen by Netanyahu will also join the delegation. Egyptian officials have drafted a new cease-fire proposal in talks with Hamas. Defense Minister Israel Katz said that increased pressure on Hamas meant there was a chance to advance a hostage deal. When asked if PM Netanyahu assured him he would end the war in Gaza, U.S. President-elect Trump said “I think he knows I want it to end.” Hamas reportedly agreed to allow Israeli forces to remain in Gaza temporarily after a cease-fire deal is implemented. Israel’s Mossad chief met with Qatar’s PM in Doha to promote negotiations for a hostage release deal.