Three years on, Gaza reels from destruction despite ceasefire

GAZA CITY

Palestinian civilians continue to face devastating conditions as the war in the Gaza Strip marked its third year on Oct. 7, amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign and blockade of the enclave despite a ceasefire and peace plan.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Oct. 5 called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza ahead of the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the war.

“It is time for the ceasefire to become permanent. It is time to allow humanitarian assistance at scale. And it is time to respect international law,” Guterres said in a statement, calling for a “political path to lasting peace across the whole region.”

“Let this anniversary mark not only another year of mourning, but also a renewed determination to build a different future: One in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security, with their rights, dignity, and aspirations fulfilled,” Guterres said.

The U.N. chief acknowledged Israel’s casualties in the statement, calling the Hamas attack “abhorrent” for “killing more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals” and the hostage-taking of another 251 people.

Guterres also said Palestinians in Gaza have faced a “massive loss of life, displacement and destruction,” without specifying their death toll.

“Their suffering, too, demands an end, now,” Guterres said.

Israel’s years-long military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 74,200 people according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Around 82 percent of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged since the start of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023.

Some 201,290 buildings had been damaged as of June 16, 2026.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also said on Oct. 5 that Israel was continuing its “genocide” in Gaza and was “progressively asphyxiating” the region, urging governments to take immediate action.

In a statement, MSF said the conditions for the people’s survival were being “systematically destroyed” through sustained violence, “deliberate” blockade of essential supplies and the destruction of healthcare as well as infrastructure.

The U.N. chief also acknowledged that a brief ceasefire, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump in October 2025, “brought some relief. But it has yet to deliver security, adequate humanitarian assistance or a credible path to recovery and peace.”

Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to impose sweeping restrictions on the entry of essential goods into Gaza, including medicine, shelter supplies and reconstruction materials.

Israel, which still controls most of Gaza, refuses to withdraw its soldiers until Hamas’ disarmament has been verified.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Oct. 6 said that he had put the military on high alert before the anniversary of 2023 attack, warning Gazans would pay a “heavy price” if forces were harmed.