Yet another tragic milestone has been reached as the conflict raging in Gaza enters its tenth month; more than 40,000 people have been killed according to reports by the Hamas-run health ministry. A further 92,500 people have been injured.
Considering the enclave’s population of 2.1 million, about 1 in every 55 people have lost their lives as a result of the conflict. Furthermore, the Strip’s relatively tiny size of only 365 square kilometres and huge population make it one of the most densely populated areas on the planet – a recipe for massive civilian casualties during warfare.
The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its figures but claims that the majority of the dead are women and children. The Israeli Defence Force has not released their assessment of the number of civilian casualties however last month claimed to have killed over 17,000 combatants. In addition, at least 10,000 people are missing, a significant number of which are believed to be trapped under rubble said the Gaza media office earlier this week.
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees Commissioner General Phillipe Lazzarini has described it as “a very grim milestone at the world’s watch”, attributing it to be a “direct result of a collective failure to reach a ceasefire”. Commenting on the figures, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said. “Most of the dead are women and children. This unimaginable situation is overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the Israeli Defence Force to comply with the rules of war.”
Over the past months, pressure has been increasingly mounting on both Israel and Hamas to come to an agreement as the death toll continues to climb and a hostage return seems ever-more distant. Within Israel, protests for a hostage deal have gained more traction and the international community has become more and more critical of Israel’s actions. Even some of their closest allies, including the US and the UK, have begun pushing for a ceasefire agreement to end this devastating war.
Written by Rakan Pharaon
