According to a report in the “Wall Street Journal,” the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have suggested that the estimates provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza may be accurate. The IDF estimated that between 11-13 thousand Hamas fighters and others were killed, with two civilians being killed for each fighter, indicating a total of 33-39 thousand deaths.
Initially, the Israeli government was skeptical of the Palestinian assessments, with sources close to the government questioning the reliability of the Ministry of Health in Gaza due to its ties with Hamas. There were also concerns about the accuracy of the data breakdown by gender and age groups. However, after taking these concerns into account, the IDF has concluded that the overall numbers reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health could be accurate.
The IDF’s assessment is based on an analysis of various sources, including eyewitness accounts, medical reports, and satellite imagery. The army also took into account actions taken by terrorists that led to civilian casualties, such as missiles that veered off course. Despite this, some critics argue that there may still be discrepancies in the numbers due to factors such as missing persons and bodies being buried without proper identification.