One thousand days have passed since the Hamas-led attack on Israel triggered the war in Gaza. Since then, the conflict has spread across the region, and although a fragile ceasefire remains in place, both Israelis and Palestinians continue to bear the scars of prolonged violence.
The future of more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza remains uncertain. Most have been displaced and continue to live amid widespread destruction. Israeli forces controlled more than half of the territory when the ceasefire took effect on 10 October, but Israel has since expanded its presence and says it intends to retain control of 70% of Gaza.
Movement into and out of the territory remains severely restricted, while negotiations over the next stages of the ceasefire, including Hamas' disarmament and Gaza's reconstruction, have stalled.
"Much more needs to be done so that even a semblance of normality can come back, and we are far, far away from this," Nicolas von Arx, regional director of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said this week.
Although Israeli air strikes have declined significantly since the ceasefire came into force, attacks continue almost daily.
Gaza's Health Ministry said 1,053 Palestinians had been killed since the ceasefire began, as of Tuesday, including more than 350 women and children. Recent casualties include a teenage girl on her way to school and a mother alongside her one-year-old daughter.
"Where is this ceasefire they keep talking about? Shame on them," said Wisal Abu Khater after another deadly strike, criticising Arab countries for failing to support Gaza while focusing on the World Cup.
The United Nations warned on Wednesday that Israel's expanding military presence in Gaza had increased the risks facing civilians in areas "lacking clear demarcation on the ground".
The Health Ministry also reported that more than 3,400 people had been wounded since the ceasefire. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its casualty figures but says women and children account for about half of those killed.
Israel says it targets Hamas and other militant groups, often claiming they were planning attacks, and accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields.
The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken. All hostages, or their remains, have since been released or returned. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Israel's military campaign has killed 73,066 Palestinians.
Nickolay Mladenov, the senior diplomat overseeing implementation of the ceasefire, has said progress has stalled over one of the agreement's most difficult issues — the disarmament of Hamas.
The issue has become a major test for the Board of Peace, established by US President Donald Trump earlier this year to oversee Gaza's post-war recovery. Created with billions of dollars in international pledges, the body has made little public progress in recent months.
Disarming Hamas is seen as a prerequisite for further steps, including establishing a new administration in Gaza and deploying an international stabilisation force to support security and reconstruction.
While Hamas has not categorically rejected disarmament, it has indicated that it wishes to retain some weapons and has demanded additional concessions from Israel.
The past 1,000 days have also left deep scars on Israeli society.
Following the 7 October attack, Israel became involved in conflicts with the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iran itself.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later urged President Trump to join Israeli strikes against Iran, a move that reignited fighting in Lebanon, where Israeli forces advanced to their deepest positions in more than 25 years.
Although the intensity of fighting has eased, none of these fronts has been fully resolved.
The continuing conflicts, mounting military casualties and international accusations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza — allegations Israel rejects — have weighed heavily on public opinion ahead of parliamentary elections later this year.
Despite projecting confidence, Netanyahu faces growing political pressure.
A poll published last month by the Israel Democracy Institute found that more than 60% of Israelis believe he should not seek another term, amid criticism over security failures before 7 October, the absence of a formal inquiry and exemptions from military service granted to his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners.
For Palestinians in Gaza, daily life remains dominated by displacement, damaged infrastructure and insecurity.
Many families continue to shelter in tent camps or bombed-out buildings with limited access to electricity, clean water and other basic services, while Israeli drones remain a constant presence overhead.
Although the ceasefire was expected to allow a significant increase in humanitarian assistance, aid agencies say access remains severely restricted.
Border crossings continue to operate under tight Israeli controls and have occasionally been closed altogether. The United Nations said last month that 17 hospitals remain out of service.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said cumbersome Israeli approval and customs procedures continue to delay the delivery of essential supplies, including medicines, fuel and even prosthetic limbs, which have faced restrictions over concerns they could have dual military use.
Although famine was declared in Gaza City last August, food security experts later reported noticeable improvements following the ceasefire. Israel's military body responsible for coordinating civilian affairs in Gaza, COGAT, said on Wednesday that food entering the territory now exceeds the nutritional requirements of Gaza's civilian population.
Even so, with Israeli forces expanding operations and Hamas accused of executing Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel or engaging in looting, many residents say they are exhausted by the conflict.
"We had everything before the war," said Mahmoud Ashour, a 33-year-old shopkeeper in Khan Younis. "Now we're just craving a bite to eat."