SHIELD International Report: Over 100,000 Tons of Explosives Dropped on Gaza – A Humanitarian Catastrophe and Crime Against Humanity

Brussels – July 23, 2025
In a harrowing new report, SHIELD International Congress has unveiled one of the most catastrophic humanitarian crises of the modern era. Based on field sources and international monitoring bodies, the organization estimates that the Israeli military has dropped approximately 100,000 tons of bombs and missiles on the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the ongoing war—on an area of merely 365 square kilometers.

Nuclear-Level Bombardment: Unimaginable Figures

According to field and statistical analysis, this equates to 274 kilograms of explosives per square meter of Gaza and over 41 kilograms per person.
Given the commonly used bomb weights (250 kg to 1 ton), the estimated number of explosive weapons dropped ranges between 200,000 to 400,000.

To put this in perspective, the “Little Boy” atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 was equivalent to around 15,000 tons of TNT.
Thus, the total firepower unleashed on Gaza amounts to the equivalent of 6–7 Hiroshima nuclear bombs—excluding radiation effects.

Use of Banned and Inhumane Weaponry

Field investigations and human rights reports indicate that a large portion of these weapons included internationally prohibited substances, such as:

• White phosphorus, used in densely populated residential areas, causing horrific burns and large-scale fires.

• Thermobaric (fuel-air) bombs, known for their immense explosive power across wide areas—typically reserved for total warfare, not urban zones.

• Cluster munitions, which scatter over vast areas and continue to kill or maim civilians long after deployment.

• High-impact concussion bombs, which demolish buildings without warning and inflict fatal internal injuries.

First responders and human rights teams have documented the devastating physical and environmental effects of these weapons, providing solid evidence of systematic war tactics deployed against civilians.

Total Destruction of Life Infrastructure

SHIELD International described the situation in Gaza as a “systematic genocide” and a “fully-fledged crime against humanity”, stating that the Israeli bombardment has not only targeted individuals but obliterated the very foundations of dignified human life.

The relentless bombing campaign has caused near-total destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, including:

• Main roads, bridges, sewage systems, and power plants.

• Hospitals and health centers, leading to the collapse of the healthcare system amid severe shortages in medicine and equipment.

• Universities and schools, many of which were completely destroyed, depriving hundreds of thousands of students of their right to education.

• UNRWA facilities, once sanctuaries for displaced persons, now lie in ruins.

• Places of worship, including mosques and churches, targeted in blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

• Bakeries and food warehouses, intensifying the hunger crisis and food scarcity.

• Water and electricity networks, resulting in near-total shutdown of essential services, leaving the population in darkness, thirst, and unsanitary conditions.

Over 2 Million Trapped Lives

More than two million people are now trapped in a tiny strip of land—without food, shelter, medicine, or hope of survival. SHIELD describes this catastrophe as a deliberate effort to uproot life itself and erase the Palestinian people’s right to exist.

Alarming Statistics as of July 23, 2025

According to SHIELD’s monitoring teams, in coordination with the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and international humanitarian agencies:

• 59,219 people have been killed

• 143,045 injured, mostly women, children, and the elderly

Breakdown of Victims:

• 12,400 women killed, many crushed beneath the rubble of their homes

• 18,000 children died due to bombardment, starvation, or lack of medical care

• 3,853 elderly, many unable to flee or seek shelter

• 4,700 missing, including 1,000 children

• 11,200 remain unaccounted for, trapped under rubble or unknown circumstances

• 40,000 children orphaned

• 2,500 cases of permanent disability, including amputations from banned weapons

• 1,411 cases of forced disappearance, with no international investigation initiated

Targeted Killings of Civilians and Professionals

• 228 journalists and media workers killed, some alongside their families—clear attempts to silence the truth

• 1,411 medical personnel targeted during rescue missions, in direct violation of Geneva Conventions

• 113 civil defense workers killed while rescuing victims under fire

• 203 UNRWA staff members, killed despite taking shelter in UN facilities

• 800 educators, including school principals and teachers, killed in shelters or classrooms

SHIELD has also documented field executions of medics and civil defense staff—many shot after surrendering or while clearly identified as rescue workers.

The systematic targeting of media centers and journalists reflects a policy of intimidation and deliberate silencing of documentation and evidence.

International Silence Equals Complicity

In its official statement, SHIELD condemned the global response as “shameful and complicit”, asserting that the ongoing genocide in Gaza exposes a failure of international institutions and human rights frameworks.

“What we are witnessing is not merely international negligence—it is direct complicity from states and governments continuing to arm and politically shield Israel, despite its public, ongoing atrocities.”

“These crimes will not be forgotten. They will not expire with time. The world’s silence is a stain on humanity, a betrayal of the very principles upon which international law and the United Nations Charter were founded.”

SHIELD International’s Demands:

1. Immediate cessation of aggression and the ongoing genocide in Gaza

2. Unconditional reopening of all border crossings for unrestricted humanitarian aid

3. Urgent, independent international investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza

4. Comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including a ban on arms exports

5. Legal accountability for complicit governments, militarily or politically supporting the crimes

6. Prosecution of companies and entities involved in facilitating or funding war crimes

7. Creation of safe, sustained humanitarian corridors to evacuate the wounded and deliver protection to civilians

Issued by: SHIELD International Congress
Brussels, Belgium – July 23, 2025