Gaza Death Toll Reaches 40,000, Including 16,456 Children, as Israel's War Rages On
The Gaza Health Ministry has announced a devastating milestone: over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's relentless war on Gaza, including at least 16,456 children and over 11,000 women. The true number of casualties is likely much higher, as many of the missing 10,000 Palestinians are believed to be buried under rubble.
The announcement comes as a new round of ceasefire talks begins in Doha, Qatar, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The talks aim to stop the war, which has damaged or destroyed two-thirds of buildings across the Gaza Strip, according to the United Nations.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has condemned the situation, stating that the "unimaginable" death toll is "overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the [Israeli military] to comply with the rules of war."
The war has had a catastrophic impact on the people of Gaza, with over 90% of the population displaced and a humanitarian disaster unfolding. The denial of essential humanitarian assistance into Gaza has worsened the situation, leading to the spread of famine and deadly diseases such as polio.
The World Health Organization has warned that a ceasefire is necessary to prevent the further spread of disease, including across borders. The organization's regional director, Hanan Balkhy, has urged for a temporary ceasefire to allow for humanitarian efforts to take place.
The death toll is likely an undercount, with a study published in The Lancet estimating that the true number of casualties could reach as high as 186,000 people, or about 8% of Gaza's entire population.
Throughout the war, Israeli forces have been accused of targeting schools, humanitarian workers, medical facilities, and UN shelters, including those hosting displaced people. Reports of abuses by Israeli forces, including systematic torture, extrajudicial killings, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, agricultural land, and religious and cultural sites, have been prevalent.
The war has also been the deadliest in modern history for journalists, with 113 media workers killed since the war began, 108 of them Palestinian.
The international community has been criticized for its inaction in the face of Israel's violations of international law. The US has played a central role in the war, with enormous weapons transfers underwriting Israel's campaign despite reports of rampant human rights abuses.
The UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, has condemned the erosion of international law, stating that the system has failed to prevent atrocities like this and that powerful states have the capacity to determine to whom international law can be applied.
