Key facts
- Israeli attacks caused 70.1% of Gaza's 24,650 registered deaths in 2025.
- The under-five mortality rate in Gaza more than doubled to 33.4 per 1,000 live births in 2025.
- Heart disease was the second-largest cause of death, accounting for 7.7% of fatalities.
- Males constituted 73.4% of recorded deaths, while females represented 26.6%.
- Gaza City and North Gaza recorded the highest death shares at 37.3% and 20.2% respectively.
- Over two years of war, Israeli attacks have killed more than 70,000 people in Gaza.
Israeli forces' attacks were responsible for 70.1% of the 24,650 deaths registered in Gaza last year, according to the territory's health ministry's first official mortality report since 2022. The report also indicated a significant increase in the under-five mortality rate, which more than doubled to 33.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025, compared to 13.6 in 2022. Excluding war-related fatalities, the rate stood at 15.8.
Heart disease emerged as the second-largest cause of death, accounting for 7.7% of fatalities. Males represented a larger proportion of deaths at 73.4%, compared to 26.6% for females. Geographically, Gaza City recorded the highest share of deaths at 37.3%, followed by North Gaza (20.2%), Khan Younis (19.5%), the Middle Area (12.3%), and Rafah (10.7%).
Separately, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that Israeli attacks have killed over 70,000 people in Gaza during more than two years of conflict, equating to more than 3% of the enclave's population, with an additional 170,983 people wounded. The World Health Organization has stated that the figures provided by Gaza health officials are reputable. An estimated 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced since October 7, 2023, with over 1.5 million people requiring urgent shelter assistance. A peace plan for Gaza proposed by President Donald Trump was recently endorsed by a majority vote at the United Nations.