Children, Women and Older People Account for More Than Half of Gaza War Dead

Children, women and older people made up more than 52 percent of those killed in the Gaza Strip during the war, according to demographic data issued by Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The figures cover the period from October 7, 2023, to September 8, 2026, during which the ministry recorded more than 73,000 deaths.

Taken together, the three groups accounted for a majority of the reported fatalities. The demographic breakdown highlights the scale of deaths among children, women and older residents.

The summary does not provide separate totals for each group, making it impossible to determine which suffered the highest number of deaths. It also does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

While the combined share offers an indication of the war’s human toll, it does not establish the relative risk faced by each group. That would require separate death counts and corresponding population figures.