PCBS: 73,000 Martyrs in Gaza, over two million displaced, and unemployment exceeds 80%
OCCUPIED PALESTINE, July 09 (YPA) – The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) stated that the number of Palestinians worldwide reached approximately 15.5 million by the end of 2025.
This comes at a time when the Palestinian community is facing an exceptional demographic and humanitarian reality due to demolition, forced displacement, systematic eviction, and the repercussions of the ongoing Israeli aggression.
In a statement issued on the occasion of World Population Day, which falls on July 11th, the PCBS explained that around 5.56 million Palestinians live in the State of Palestine, 6.82 million in Arab countries, 1.86 million in the 1948 territories, and approximately 1.26 million Palestinians in foreign countries.
The Bureau pointed out that despite the tragedy, the Palestinian community remains a young society, with individuals under the age of 30 accounting for about 65% of the total population, while those under 18 make up around 43%. The population growth rate in Palestine was recorded at 2.4% in 2023, compared to 1.5% in Arab countries and 0.85% globally.
Toll of Victims from the Aggression
The PCBS revealed that the victims toll from the aggression on the Gaza Strip from October 2023 until June 2026 reached 73,090 martyrs in the Gaza Strip, including 20,413 children and 12,524 women, in addition to 137,550 injured and more than 11,000 missing persons.
In the West Bank, 1,162 citizens were martyred during the same period.
The statement noted that forced displacement affected more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, out of approximately 2.2 million who used to live there, while around 40,000 Palestinians were displaced in camps in the northern West Bank.
High Fertility in Palestine Compared to Arab and Global Rates
The PCBS highlighted that the fertility rate in Palestine reached 3.8 births per woman during the 2017–2019 period, compared to about 3 births per woman in Arab countries and 2.4 births per woman globally.
Regarding women, data showed that 47,019 women in the Gaza Strip became widows as of May 2026, while women headed approximately 18% of households, compared to 12% before the aggression.
Furthermore, around 60,000 pregnant women were deprived of regular healthcare in the Gaza Strip during 2026. The maternal mortality rate rose from 17.4 deaths per 100,000 live births before the aggression to 145 deaths in 2024 following the aggression.
In the West Bank, the maternal mortality rate decreased from 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 to 6.7 deaths in 2024.
58,000 Children Lost One or Both Parents
According to the PCBS, approximately 58,000 children in the Gaza Strip lost one or both parents, an indicator that reflects the scale of the social and humanitarian repercussions left by the aggression, and the resulting long-term challenges related to protection, mental health, and psychosocial support.
Collapse of the Healthcare System in Gaza
Data showed that only 18 out of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are operating partially, while more than 1,700 medical personnel were martyred, and 1,312 healthcare workers were detained.
Additionally, the number of hospital beds dropped from 3,412 beds to 1,717 beds, while the shortage of medicines reached about 51%, and the shortage of medical consumables hit 71%.
The PCBS pointed out that around 53% of the Gaza Strip’s area has become a military buffer zone, while the population density is concentrated in a limited area of approximately 36% of the Strip’s total area of 365 square kilometers, raising the population density to more than 35,000 people per square kilometer.
Aggression Strikes the Education Sector
In the education sector, 20,480 students were martyred, including 19,101 school students and 1,379 university students, in addition to the martyrdom of 31,436 students and members of the educational staff, according to data provided in the report.
The PCBS indicated that 700,000 male and female students were deprived of school education, while 88,000 university students were prevented from continuing their education. Moreover, 95% of schools suffered damage, and 284 schools were affected, including schools that were completely destroyed.
In the West Bank, 128 school students and 39 university students were martyred, and 861 school students and more than 287 university students were injured, while 421 school students and over 487 university students were detained.
Record Unemployment and Unprecedented Famine
The unemployment rate in the West Bank reached 29% during the year 2025, while it exceeded 80% in the Gaza Strip, amid the collapse of the labor market and the cessation of economic activities.
The PCBS warned of an unprecedented famine catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, noting that the official declaration of famine was made on August 15, 2025, and that 77% of the population, roughly 1.6 million people, suffered from acute food insecurity.
Furthermore, 98.5% of agricultural lands lost their production capacity or became inaccessible, while the number of children expected to suffer from acute malnutrition rose to 101,000 children under the age of five, in addition to 55,500 pregnant and lactating women at risk of acute malnutrition during 2025 and 2026.
Widespread Destruction of Buildings and Infrastructure
The PCBS stated that the aggression caused extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure, as more than 198,000 buildings were damaged, including more than 102,000 buildings completely destroyed, and more than 70,000 residential units entirely demolished.
Hundreds of educational, health, and service buildings and facilities also sustained damage, amid the widespread destruction of basic infrastructure and utility networks.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics emphasized that these indicators reflect a profound demographic and humanitarian shift facing the Palestinian people, stressing that securing food, health, and education, alongside protecting the family structure, have become fundamental conditions before speaking of population stability or sustainable development paths.
YPA