Calculating the Human Cost: Gaza's Rising Death Toll Explained

The conflict in Gaza has resulted in a significant human toll, with Palestinian health authorities reporting over 38,000 deaths, primarily civilians. This piece explores how these figures are calculated, the credibility of the numbers, and differing perspectives from Gaza and Israel. It also delves into the complexities and uncertainties surrounding the counting methods.

Palestinian health authorities report that Israel's ground and air operations in Gaza have led to over 38,000 deaths, mostly civilians, and displaced most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents.

The war commenced on October 7 when Hamas militants infiltrated Israeli communities, killing over 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages. This analysis covers how the Palestinian death toll is determined, its reliability, the civilian vs. combatant breakdown, and the narratives from both sides.

Initially, death counts were based on bodies arriving at hospitals, identified by names and ID numbers. As the war dragged on, and hospital operations reduced, the Ministry included unidentified bodies and deaths reported online by family members. Despite comprehensive efforts, the true number of victims remains disputed, with indirect deaths potentially making the toll higher. Reports from the U.N. and The Lancet indicate the actual figures could be substantially greater.

(With inputs from agencies.)