LONDON: The Lancet, a British medical journal, has issued a harrowing warning regarding the true scale of casualties in the ongoing Gaza conflict, suggesting that the actual death toll could surpass 186,000 Palestinian people, accounting for approximately 8% of Gaza’s population.
Official figures from Gaza’s government sources currently report nearly 38,200 Palestinian deaths due to the ongoing Israeli bombardment campaign. However, The Lancet’s recent report, titled “Counting the Dead in Gaza: Difficult but Essential,” published on Friday, contends that this number significantly underestimates the true extent of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Palestinian territory.
The report attributes the discrepancy to thousands of Palestinians still trapped under rubble and others who have perished due to secondary effects such as malnutrition, disease, and the severe lack of medical care exacerbated by the destruction of critical infrastructure.
A significant contributor to the staggering loss of life, according to The Lancet, is the extensive use of 14,000 bombs, each weighing 2,000 pounds, supplied by the United States to Israel. These munitions have not only caused immediate casualties but also wrought widespread devastation on Gaza’s infrastructure, amplifying conditions that contribute to additional deaths.
The Lancet underscores the formidable challenges in accurately documenting casualties amidst the widespread destruction. “The number of reported deaths is likely an underestimate,” the report states.
The report cites the non-governmental organization Airwars, which conducts detailed assessments of incidents in Gaza and often finds discrepancies where not all victims’ names are included in official records. Moreover, the report notes that as of February 29, 2024, an estimated 35% of buildings in Gaza had been destroyed, potentially entailing a substantial number of bodies still buried under debris, with estimates exceeding 10,000.
“The total death toll is expected to be significant given the intensity of this conflict, the decimation of healthcare infrastructure, severe shortages of essential resources, and the population’s inability to seek refuge in safe areas,” warns The Lancet.
The dire situation in Gaza has been exacerbated by a prolonged Israeli blockade that has severely restricted access to food, clean water, and medical supplies. The destruction of healthcare facilities, food distribution networks, and sanitation systems has left the Palestinian population in a perilous state of vulnerability.
Israel is facing accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ’s recent ruling ordered Israel to immediately cease its military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the conflict before being subjected to further violence starting May 6.
