Two years of conflict in Gaza: How people are surviving the loss

Inside Gaza: From destroyed homes to refugee camps, residents facing loss and hardship

Last updated:
Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor
3 MIN READ
An injured man holds another injured child, both survivors of Israeli bombardment, while a nurse bandages his head at a trauma ward at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 24, 2023.
An injured man holds another injured child, both survivors of Israeli bombardment, while a nurse bandages his head at a trauma ward at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 24, 2023.
AFP

Dubai: Two years after the war ignited by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, Gaza lies in ruins and hope strains under relentless conflict. Over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, many buried beneath rubble or still missing, while more than 417,000 have been internally displaced. Israel, too, counts nearly 1,700 dead, including soldiers, and 48 hostages remain in Gaza.

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On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched an attack inside Israel, leaving 1,200 people dead and taking 251 people as hostages.
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Palestinians take control of an Israeli Merkava battle tank after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
AFP
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A plume of smoke rises above buildings in Gaza City on October 7, 2023 during an Israeli air strike that hit the Palestine Tower building.
AFP
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A woman injured in an Israeli strike sits amid the rubble in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on December 3, 2023.
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Women and children walk along a destroyed road past collapsed buildings in the west of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
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This image grab from an AFP TV footage shows balls of fire rising above Gaza City during an Israeli strike on October 27, 2023, as battles between Israel and the Hamas militants continue.
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People mourn at the graveside of Eden Guez, who was killed as she attended a music festival that was attacked by Hamas gunmen from Gaza that left at least 260 people dead, at her funeral in Ashkelon, in southern Israel, October 10.
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Civilians ride an animal pulled cart past the rubble of a destroyed building in al-Mughraqa in the central Gaza Strip, on February 13, 2025, as displaced people move towards the northern parts of Gaza during a ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas.
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Palestinians inspect the site of Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp, in northern Gaza, on November 14, 2023.
AFP
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A plume of smoke rises in the sky of Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on October 9, 2023. Gaza - a territory of 2.3 million people packed into one of the most densely populated areas on Earth - has been transformed into an apocalyptic battleground by air strikes and ground assaults after Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas.
AFP
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Palestinian children receive food at a UN-run school in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on October 23, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas militants.
AFP
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A Palestinian man carries an injured man as people flee following an Israeli strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on November 23, 2023.
AFP
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An aerial view of buildings destroyed by Israeli air strikes in the Jabalia camp for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City, on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
AFP
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A man carrying a child, injured in Israeli bombardment, arrives at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on December 17, 2023.
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Palestinian children run as they flee from Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
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The Palestinian Al-Naji family prepare to break their fast during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, sitting amidst the ruins of their family house in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza Strip.
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Displaced Gazans cross the Netzarim corridor from the southern Gaza Strip into Gaza City on January 27, 2025.
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People walk past a billboard bearing the portraits of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants since 2023, in Jerusalem on October 6, 2025.
AFP
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Displaced Palestinians ride in a vehicle in the south of Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on October 6, 2025.
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Displaced Palestinians with their belongings move southward along a road in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on September 24, 2025.
AFP
Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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