The Gaza Conflict by Numbers; Death Toll Surpasses 1,800 and Huge Destruction Recorded
Twenty-nine days of fighting between Israel and Hamas broke out on July 8 and expanded with an Israeli ground assault nine days later. A truce came into effect Tuesday.
Here is a summary of the chief statistics as the 72-hour ceasefire began:
-- DEATH TOLL
In Gaza, 1,867 Palestinians have been killed and more than 9,500 wounded since the start of the Israeli offensive, say Palestinian emergency services.
Figures released by the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA, which were correct at 0500 GMT August 5, gave a total of 1,814 dead Palestinians.
Of the 1,527 whose identities have been verified, 1,312 were civilians, or 86 percent, OCHA said. The number includes 408 children and 214 women.
UNICEF says 373,000 children need specialized psychosocial assistance.
OCHA says 215 dead Palestinians have been identified as fighters.
In Israel, 64 soldiers were killed after the ground offensive began on July 17. Most died in fighting in Gaza but others were killed by militants who infiltrated southern Israel.
Three civilians were killed by Palestinian rocket attacks -- two Israelis and a Thai worker.
Israeli emergency services say 646 civilians were admitted to hospital, including 20 as a direct result of rocket attacks and 12 from broken glass.
Israel's military losses are the heaviest since the 2006 war against Hizbullah in Lebanon.
The army does not disclose the number of soldiers admitted to hospitals.
-- DISPLACED
OCHA says 267,970 are sheltering in 90 schools run by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
Another 200,000 people are believed to be staying with host families, while thousands more are sheltering in government schools.
-- ROCKETS
According to army figures on Tuesday, militants have fired 3,360 rockets, of which 2,650 hit Israel while another 578 were intercepted by its Iron Dome anti-missile defenses.
-- STRIKES
Israel says it has struck 4,760 targets across the Gaza Strip.
The army said it destroyed over 3,000 rockets, and razed 32 cross-border tunnels used by militants to attack Israel.
It said troops had killed 900 militants in combat.
-- DESTRUCTION
At least 142 schools in Gaza, including 89 run by the U.N., were damaged by Israeli air strikes or shelling, UNICEF says.
Three UNRWA schools in Gaza were used by Palestinian armed groups to store rockets.
One Palestinian government school was used by Israeli forces as a base.
Two Israeli schools were damaged by Palestinian rocket fire.
Source: Agence France Presse
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