Gaza Herald- A report by The Guardian, alongside Israeli news outlets +972 and Local Call, has revealed that a staggering 83% of the individuals killed during Israel’s military offensive on Gaza have been civilians, according to classified Israeli military intelligence data.
The report, which draws on these intelligence figures, shows that as of May, Israeli officials had identified 8,900 fighters from Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad as either dead or “probably dead.” This number represents just 17% of the approximately 53,000 Palestinians who had lost their lives in Israeli attacks by that time. The remaining 83% of those killed were civilians, a stark contrast to the small proportion of combatants.
This high ratio of civilian deaths to combatants is alarming, especially when compared to other modern conflicts notorious for indiscriminate violence. The report notes that even wars such as the Syrian and Sudanese civil wars, conflicts widely criticized for their high civilian tolls, have not seen such a disproportionate civilian death rate.
Palestinian authorities and civilians have consistently argued since the start of Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza that the overwhelming majority of the casualties are non-combatants, including women and children.
They have been vocal in their criticism of the Israeli military for conducting widespread and indiscriminate bombing campaigns that have caused massive devastation in Gaza, leaving entire neighborhoods flattened and countless families torn apart. Palestinians have condemned the tactics used by Israel, calling them a violation of international humanitarian law and accusing the Israeli forces of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.
As the death toll continues to rise, the international community is increasingly concerned about the heavy civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
With reports consistently showing that the vast majority of those killed are innocent civilians, many are calling for an immediate reassessment of Israel’s military strategy. Palestinians have long condemned Israel’s indiscriminate attacks, which have left entire neighborhoods destroyed and countless families mourning. This ongoing tragedy underscores the urgent need for a ceasefire and accountability in the conduct of military operations in densely populated areas.
