Gaza's Population Now Has the World's Lowest Life Expectancy

Gaza’s population now has the lowest life expectancy in the world, according to the latest figures from the United Nations.

Before Israel’s assault on Gaza, the average life expectancy was 75.5 years. The average life expectancy in the strip has almost halved during the first 12 months of the invasion, and now falls at 40.5 years - 26 years less than Sudan, and 18 years less than Somalia.

The life expectancy for males has dropped to 35.6 years, compared to 73.6% before the invasion, marking a decline of 52%. Female life expectancy was 77.5 before the war and now stands at 47.5 years. The average life expectancy is likely to be lower than 40.5, as official figures coming from Gaza are undercounts of the true human cost of the war due to Israel’s targeting of Gaza’s health infrastructure.

Previously, the country with the former lowest life expectancy in the world was Nigeria, recording an average lifespan of 54.5 years.