Israel's War in Gaza: A Campaign of Slaughter of Civilians

Strategic Insights -

As of May, 53,000 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza, including combatants and civilians, according to health authorities. Israeli intelligence officials listed 8,900 named fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad as dead or "probably dead", indicating that 83% of the dead were civilians. This ratio of civilians to combatants among the dead is extremely high for modern warfare. Multiple sources familiar with the database said the military viewed it as the only authoritative tally of militant casualties. The database names 47,653 Palestinians considered active in the military wings of Hamas and PIJ.

Key Takeaways:

  • The ratio of civilian casualties among the dead in Gaza is extremely high, with 83% of the dead being civilians, according to a joint investigation by the Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call.
  • The Israeli military intelligence database lists 47,653 Palestinians considered active in the military wings of Hamas and PIJ, indicating that many militants have been killed.
  • Israeli politicians and generals have varying estimates of the number of militants killed, ranging from 8,900 to as high as 20,000.
  • The Israeli military considers the Gaza health ministry toll reliable, with former head of military intelligence appearing to cite it recently.
  • Many genocide scholars, lawyers, and human rights activists, including Israeli academics and campaign groups, say Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, citing the mass killing of civilians and imposed starvation.
  • The Israeli military did not dispute the existence of the database or the data on Hamas and PIJ deaths, but disputed the numbers, saying they "do not reflect the data available in the IDF's systems".
  • Israeli forces have killed hundreds of people trying to get food from distribution centers in military exclusion zones.
  • The scale of the killing was partly owing to the nature of the conflict, said Mary Kaldor of the LSE, where international humanitarian law was not applicable due to Israel's rules of engagement.
  • The ratio of civilians among the dead in Gaza was more comparable to recent wars in Sudan, Yemen, Uganda, and Syria, where much of the violence was directed against civilians.

Statistics:

  • 53,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza (as of May)
  • 8,900 named fighters from Hamas and PIJ listed as dead or "probably dead" in Israeli intelligence database
  • 83% of the dead were civilians in May, according to the database
  • 47,653 Palestinians considered active in the military wings of Hamas and PIJ (according to the database)
  • 20,000 - highest estimated number of militants killed by Israeli officials
  • 8,900 - estimated number of militants killed according to Israeli intelligence officials
  • 1,200 - number of people killed in Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023
  • 50 - number of Palestinians that must die for every person killed in the attacks, according to Aharon Haliva, former head of military intelligence

Sources:

  • Guardian
  • +972 Magazine
  • Local Call
  • Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP)
  • Israeli-Palestinian publication
  • Hebrew-language outlet