Gaza Herald- Civilians accounted for about 15 of every 16 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since March, according to a report published Friday by The Guardian, citing data from the independent conflict-monitoring organization ACLED.
“Roughly 15 out of 16 Palestinians killed by Israel’s military since its renewed offensive in Gaza began in March have been civilians,” the report stated, noting that the figures represent one of the highest civilian death rates recorded in the ongoing war. Analysts said the findings are likely to intensify global pressure on Israel as its forces push deeper into Gaza City.
The ACLED report also documented a sharp rise in building demolitions since the March escalation. “Incidents involving the destruction of buildings in Gaza have surged dramatically,” it said. Israel resumed airstrikes on 18 March, launching more than 3,500 attacks over the following six months, which killed over 9,500 people, the majority believed to be civilians. At least 40 Hamas commanders and senior operatives were also killed during that time, ACLED noted.
Between Aug. 11 and Sept. 13, Israeli forces destroyed or severely damaged more than 3,600 residential buildings and towers in Gaza City, while also eradicating nearly 13,000 tents sheltering displaced families, according to Gaza’s government media office.
Death Toll On Rise
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that since the March escalation, 12,622 Palestinians have been killed and more than 54,000 injured, though it did not provide a breakdown by city. Between Aug. 11, when the assault on Gaza City began, and Sept. 17, at least 3,542 Palestinians were killed across the territory, including 1,984 in Gaza City alone, with the remainder killed in southern areas.
On Aug. 8, Israel’s cabinet approved a plan presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to gradually reoccupy Gaza, beginning with Gaza City, home to roughly one million Palestinians.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has waged a genocidal campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, while displacing hundreds of thousands and causing famine that has already claimed the lives of at least 435 people, including 147 children.
