Study indicates Gaza death toll possibly to be 40 percent higher

(MENAFN) A new study published in The Lancet medical journal suggests that the official Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas conflict may be significantly lower than the actual number. The study, released on the same day Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that over 46,000 people had died in the 15-month conflict, estimates that the actual death toll in Gaza during the first nine months of the war could be about 40% higher than officially reported.

The discrepancy is attributed to the collapse of healthcare infrastructure and challenges in accurate record-keeping in the besieged region. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Yale University used a statistical method called capture-recapture analysis, comparing multiple data sources to account for unreported deaths. The study estimates that between October 2023 and June 2024, 64,260 deaths occurred due to traumatic injuries, a figure approximately 41% higher than the official count.

The report highlights that over 59% of the casualties were women, children, and elderly individuals. The study raises concerns about the conduct of Israel's military operations in Gaza, questioning its claims of minimizing civilian casualties, given the high number of trauma-related deaths.

Casualty statistics have been controversial throughout the conflict, with some accusing Hamas of inflating the death toll to gain international sympathy. The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, leading to a massive Israeli military response in Gaza.

MENAFN12012025000045015687ID1109081043