TEHRAN (Iran News) The 649-page report, published on Monday, reveals the names of 34,344 Palestinians killed as of August 31, while data collection continues for nearly 7,000 more victims. According to the ministry, a total of at least 41,252 people have been murdered since Israel began in genocidal military campaign against the besieged enclave on October 7, 2023.
The first 14 pages of the document consist of the names of infants under one year old, with 11,355 children confirmed dead, accounting for nearly one-third of the total casualties.
“This is a genocide of children. Fourteen pages of babies. Babies. This is nothing short of an attempt to expunge a people,” said Heba Gowayed, a sociology professor at Hunter College, City University of New York, in response to the list on social media.
The final pages document Palestinians aged 77 to 101, many of whom were born before the establishment of Israel in 1948.
The report further clarifies that 60% of those killed in the Israeli war were women, children, and elderly individuals, with the majority of remaining casualties likely being unarmed civilian men. The ministry highlighted that October was the deadliest month for Palestinian children and women, while men faced the highest death toll between March and August.
Beyond direct casualties, the report also warns of indirect deaths due to disease and hunger, which may increase the overall toll significantly. A July publication by The Lancet estimated that if the war had ended at that point, deaths could range between 149,000 and 598,000 due to the ongoing conflict’s impact.
In addition to fatalities, the ministry reported that 67,433 Palestinians have been injured amid Israeli airstrikes and ground operations, with over 95,000 wounded since the conflict began. Many bodies remain trapped beneath rubble caused by airstrikes.
The release of the report comes as international outrage grows over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where access to healthcare, food, and basic necessities remains severely restricted due to Israeli blockades and military operations.
Hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza are overwhelmed, intensifying the suffering of civilians. The ongoing Israeli airstrikes have hit all areas of Gaza, including UN shelters, schools, and hospitals.
The Gaza Health Ministry’s report underscores the devastating human toll of the Israeli war and calls attention to the urgent need for a ceasefire, while Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to assert Israel’s presence in Gaza.
- source : tasnim