The Israeli assault on Gaza has long ceased to be a war in the conventional sense—it is a genocidal campaign aimed at the systematic destruction of an entire population. Recent figures from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reveal an appalling truth: Gaza’s population has plummeted by 6% in a year, a decline of 160,000 people, bringing the population down to 2.1 million. This decline is not incidental. It is the product of decades of policies designed to depopulate, destabilize, and proletarianize Palestinians, ensuring their dependence and vulnerability while consolidating Israeli control over Palestinian land and lives.
The Numbers That Speak of Genocide
Since the brutal escalation of violence on October 7, 2023, nearly 45,500 Palestinians have been killed, including 17,581 children and 12,048 women. Another 11,000 remain missing, presumed buried beneath the rubble of an Israeli onslaught that has destroyed entire neighborhoods. Over 107,000 Palestinians have been injured, and nearly 100,000 have been forced to flee the enclave in a desperate attempt to escape annihilation.
These numbers represent more than mere statistics; they signify the systematic erasure of a people. The sheer scale of the casualties reflects the indiscriminate nature of Israeli attacks, targeting civilians with impunity. The International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have both taken note, with arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
A Longstanding Campaign of Expulsion
The demographic assault on Palestinians did not begin in 2023—it is a continuation of policies dating back to the Nakba in 1948 and the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank in 1967. During the June 1967 war, over 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homes, a pattern of ethnic cleansing that has continued unabated. By 1982, the population of Gaza and the West Bank, which should have naturally increased to over 2 million, was deliberately suppressed through expulsions, economic strangulation, and systematic repression.
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Israel’s policies have always been clear: contain the Palestinian population, distort its natural growth, and reduce its ability to resist. The proletarianization of Palestinians—transforming a once-diverse society into a reserve labor force for the Israeli economy—has been a cornerstone of this strategy. Land confiscations, water deprivation, and economic isolation have forced Palestinians into dependency, stripping them of autonomy and self-sufficiency.
The Proletarianization of Gaza
Gaza has long been a testing ground for Israel’s most ruthless policies. A densely populated strip of land home to millions of refugees, Gaza has been systematically starved of resources and opportunities. Agricultural land has been confiscated, water sources have been controlled, and economic activity has been stifled. Palestinians in Gaza are now almost entirely dependent on foreign aid and precarious day labor jobs, many of which serve to further entrench Israeli control.
In this environment, resistance is met with brutal retaliation. Young men, viewed as potential fighters, are disproportionately targeted for arrest, expulsion, or execution. Families are torn apart, and entire communities are rendered leaderless as professionals and community leaders are systematically removed.
Complicity and Silence
Despite mounting evidence of genocide, the international community has largely remained complicit. While the ICC and ICJ have taken preliminary steps, powerful states like the United States continue to shield Israel from accountability, vetoing UN Security Council resolutions and providing military aid. The rhetoric of “self-defense” is weaponized to justify atrocities, while Palestinians are dehumanized in global media narratives.
This complicity is not new. It is rooted in decades of colonial and imperial interests that have prioritized Israeli expansionism over Palestinian rights. The current genocide in Gaza is the natural outcome of a world order that has consistently placed power and profit over justice and humanity.
A Call to Action
The demographic collapse of Gaza is not an accident—it is the deliberate result of policies aimed at the destruction of a people. The world must stop hiding behind empty condemnations and act decisively to hold Israel accountable for its crimes. The survival of the Palestinian people depends on it.
Gaza’s tragedy is a stark reminder of what happens when the world turns a blind eye to genocide. It is not just a humanitarian crisis; it is a moral failure of global proportions. The question now is whether the international community will continue to enable this destruction or finally stand on the side of justice.