Controversial Casualty Counts: Gaza’s On-Going Conflict Leaves Innocent Suffering

Since the hostilities began in Gaza on October 7, a total of 34,654 people have been killed, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. This ministry is affiliated with Hamas and reports that in the last 24 hours alone, 32 individuals lost their lives and 77,908 sustained injuries of varying degrees of severity. However, it is important to note that the information provided by this ministry cannot be independently verified.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated multiple times that they cannot authenticate or refute the accuracy of the data regarding casualties presented by the Gaza Ministry of Health. Nonetheless, a study published in The Lancet in January hinted that this data may be relatively accurate.

On the other hand, according to reports from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), numerous militants connected to terrorist organizations are being eliminated daily in Gaza. Since the conflict began, approximately 14,000 members of these groups have been killed in Gaza. Hamas itself has acknowledged the deaths of around 6,000 of its fighters.

The Gaza Ministry of Health’s reports do not differentiate between civilian casualties and militant casualties and exclusively attribute all casualties to the actions of the IDF. However, it is evident that many individuals perish due to terrorist group militants or other causes not directly linked to military activities carried out by the Israeli army in Gaza.

In conclusion, while there are conflicting sources regarding the accuracy of casualty figures in Gaza, it is clear that many innocent people are caught up in this ongoing conflict and continue to suffer as a result.