Israel's Revised Gaza Civilian Death Toll: A Contrast to Hamas's Claims

For the first time, Israel has released its estimated civilian death toll in Gaza, stating that around 16,000 have been killed since the conflict began on Oct. 7, significantly lower than Hamas's claimed 35,000.

Israel's Estimated Civilian Death Toll in Gaza

On Monday, Israel released its estimated civilian death toll in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, claiming that approximately 16,000 civilians have been killed. This figure stands in stark contrast to the 35,000 death toll reported by Hamas's Ministry of Health.

Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman asserted that Israel has been unfairly condemned globally due to Hamas's "fake and fabricated" civilian death toll. He accused the United Nations of "rubber-stamping" Hamas's numbers and becoming a "Hamas newswire to the world."

Hyman emphasized that Israel is setting "the new gold standard for urban warfare" with its low civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio. He cited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's estimate that over 14,000 terrorists have been killed in the conflict.

Challenging Hamas's Claims

Hyman denounced Hamas's figures as a "spit in the face" of Israeli soldiers who have died fighting the conflict. He maintained that every civilian casualty is a tragedy, but it could have been avoided if Hamas had not used its own civilians as human shields.

The Israeli Defense Forces' own losses in the conflict have reached 620, according to Hyman.

International Response

Israel's new estimates have prompted mixed reactions from the international community. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs revised its data on the number of women and children killed in the conflict, but the World Health Organization continues to support the numbers reported by the Hamas-led Gaza Ministry of Health.

Conclusion

Israel's release of its estimated civilian death toll in Gaza has ignited a debate over the accuracy of casualty figures in the conflict. While Israel claims to have killed significantly fewer civilians than Hamas, Hamas maintains its higher death toll estimate. The international community faces the challenge of reconciling these conflicting accounts and ensuring that accurate information is disseminated.