A shocking revelation has emerged, leaving many stunned: Israel's military now concedes that the death toll in Gaza, as reported by health authorities, is largely correct, with an estimated 70,000 lives lost.
This admission marks a significant departure from Israel's previous stance, which involved years of discrediting the data. A senior security official revealed to Israeli journalists that approximately 70,000 Palestinians have perished in Israeli attacks on the territory since October 2023, excluding those still missing.
Interestingly, this is the first time Israel has publicly acknowledged the human cost of the war in Gaza. Historically, the government and military only disclosed figures related to militants they claimed to have eliminated.
Gaza's health authorities paint an even grimmer picture, asserting that over 71,660 people have directly succumbed to Israeli attacks, with an estimated 10,000 individuals presumed buried beneath the rubble of bombed structures.
For over two years, Israeli officials and media outlets vehemently dismissed Palestinian figures as 'Hamas propaganda,' questioning their accuracy.
But here's where it gets controversial: Israel's sudden change of heart raises critical questions about its defense of the Gaza campaign. A UN commission, human rights groups, and renowned scholars have accused Israel of committing genocide in the territory.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz pondered, 'What other accusations could be true?' after the briefing, urging the Israeli public to reflect on the implications of this delayed acknowledgment for the army and government's credibility regarding their conduct in Gaza.
This revelation intensifies the scrutiny of civilian casualties. Initially, the Israeli military claimed to have killed 22,000 militants in Gaza, implying that a significant majority of the 70,000 deceased were non-combatants. This figure is notably lower than the 83% civilian death rate suggested by a classified Israeli military database but surpasses the 50% casualty rate previously asserted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
While Israel continues to review the civilian status of the deceased, officials believe the overall toll compiled by Gaza health authorities is largely accurate. A military spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied the briefing's figure, stating only that it did not reflect official IDF data.
The Palestinian database, while not distinguishing between fighters and non-combatants, identifies most of the deceased by name, date of birth, and Israeli-issued identity numbers.
Israeli attacks on Gaza health authorities overlooked their established record of meticulous record-keeping. During past conflicts in Gaza, the final death toll acknowledged by Israel and observers, including the UN, generally aligned with Palestinian data.
Surprisingly, Israeli media outlets provided minimal coverage and discussion of the death toll. While most major media attended the briefing, they initially overlooked the new figure, with the exception of Haaretz.
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted the figure in a diplomatic context, focusing on negotiations between the US, Qatar, and Israel. The report cited an official who estimated the number of Gazans killed in the war at roughly 70,000, excluding missing persons.
Ynet, the online outlet of Yedioth Ahronoth, published a brief article on the toll late on Thursday evening, but it failed to become a prominent news story.
In a separate development, the Israeli military announced the reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Sunday, the first time since Israeli forces took control of the border area in May 2024. Palestinians who left Gaza can now apply to return, supervised by a European Union force, although Israel maintains full control over entry and exit.
The reopening of Rafah is part of US efforts to advance Donald Trump's ceasefire plan for the territory. However, the crossing will only allow pedestrian traffic, providing no relief for the dire shortages of food, shelter, medicine, and other essential humanitarian supplies in Gaza.
And this is the part most people miss: As the truth about the Gaza death toll emerges, it raises questions about Israel's accountability and the accuracy of its previous claims. What does this mean for the ongoing conflict and the pursuit of justice for the victims? The debate continues, and your thoughts are welcome.
