Israel’s war on Gaza may have killed almost 65,000 people in under 9 months, Lancet study suggests

The death toll from Israel’s assault on Gaza may be tens of thousands higher than local health authorities have said, a new study finds.

A study from researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, published Thursday in The Lancet, estimates that 64,260 people died from traumatic injuries between Oct 7, 2023 and June 30 of last year, 41% more than the Gaza Ministry of Health’s estimate of 37,877 dead.

The figure would represent the deaths of nearly 3% of Gaza’s pre-war population. Researchers noted deaths were the heaviest in the three months following Oct 7, 2023, but that sustained warfare made counting more difficult.

Israel has been accused of willfully directing attacks on civilians in Gaza by the International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant last November.

The figures published by The Lancet do not account for deaths by disease and starvation, issues the United Nations said last year could further devastate Palestinians as bombing campaigns decimated health care facilities, food production and international aid efforts.

Researchers concluded that women, children and the elderly made up nearly 60% of all estimated deaths for which age and sex were available.

Multiple challenges have plagued death toll estimates in Gaza, including skepticism of the figures produced by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health. Researchers say their estimate is based on comparing pre-war records to death lists published by local authorities and morgue data, as well as obituaries posted on social media.

Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported nearly 10,000 further deaths since June 30 of last year, when the Lancet paper’s estimations ended, meaning cumulative deaths could top 75,000.