GlobalWide News
The Washington Post: More than 20,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip in the war between Israel and Hamas, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This figure surpasses the death toll in any recent conflict in the region, including the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The conflict began with a Hamas attack on Israel, leading to Israel’s intense bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza. The accuracy of the death toll is disputed, with Israeli and U.S. officials questioning the figures due to Hamas’s influence over the Gaza Health Ministry.
The Washington Post and other media outlets rely on numbers from the Gaza Health Ministry, as many international institutions, organizations and global bodies did before the war. The ministry has proved reliable historically, with direct access to hospitals and morgues. It writes death certificates for Palestinians living in the enclave.
Thus, international organizations and the United Nations are currently relying on these numbers. The heavy destruction in Gaza, particularly in the north, has been exacerbated by the use of large bombs and a high proportion of unguided munitions by Israel. The conflict has significantly impacted civilians, with a notable number of U.N. staff casualties, and experts suggest the actual death toll could be higher. The Biden administration is pushing Israel to reduce the intensity of its operations, citing a loss of global support and the importance of assessing civilian impacts under the rules of war.
The entire article can be read at the link https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/22/gaza-israel-war-20000-dead/
