The War between Hamas and Israel: Civilian Casualty Statistics

The Gaza Ministry of Health does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures. According to the IDF, two-thirds of the victims are civilians. Other estimates suggest a higher proportion.

The toll of Israeli operations in Gaza since October 7, recorded by the Palestinian Ministry of Health controlled by Hamas, now exceeds 26,000 deaths. A figure that is no longer widely disputed. On December 4, when the toll exceeded 15,000, the AP and AFP news agencies quoted Israeli officials as saying that the count by the Gaza authorities was “fairly accurate.”

The days when the figures were disputed, especially after the explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital, for which the Ministry of Health had reported 471 deaths deemed universally inflated, seem to be over. The data from the Palestinian government are even, according to various researchers, rather underestimated. The method used by the Ministry of Health to count the 26,000+ deaths is at issue. The Gaza Ministry of Health, under Hamas control, explained to VérifierActualités that the missing persons and bodies trapped under the rubble (estimated at 8,500 people) are not counted as deceased, nor are the unidentified individuals who arrive at the hospital, or the unidentified bodies whose death is es