The proportion of Palestinian women and children being killed in the Israel-Hamas war appears to have declined sharply, according to an analysis of Gaza Health Ministry data by Associated Press. This trend contradicts the ministry’s public statements and coincides with Israel’s changing battlefield tactics.
This decline in the death rate for women and children is an important indicator of civilian casualties in one of the deadliest conflicts of the 21st century. In October, at the start of the war, the rate was over 60%, but by April, it had dropped below 40%. Despite this significant shift, the U.N. and much of the media failed to notice, and the Hamas-linked Health Ministry did not correct the record.
Israel has faced criticism for the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza, with questions about its efforts to prevent them in an ongoing 8-month-old conflict. Recent airstrikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians.
The analysis by AP sheds light on overlooked facts that could help inform public discourse, as stated by Gabriel Epstein, a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who has reviewed the Health Ministry data.
The reduction in casualties among women and children, along with a decrease in the overall death rate, is attributed to changes in Israel Defense Forces tactics, according to experts. The impact of airstrikes on women and children is typically higher compared to ground operations.
Human Rights Watch director Omar Shakir stated that his organization has found the Health Ministry’s numbers to be reliable, as they have direct access to hospitals and morgues. Despite the decline in deaths among women and children, Shakir emphasized that the overall devastation of the war is still significant.
The analysis also highlights discrepancies in the daily death toll reports released by the Health Ministry, compared to the underlying data. Israeli leaders have accused the ministry of inflating figures for political reasons, while experts acknowledge the challenges faced by Gaza’s health system due to the ongoing conflict.
