Israel-Hamas Conflict Claims Over 20,000 Palestinian Lives

The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has led to the deaths of more than 20,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in the Hamas-controlled territory. This figure, representing nearly 1% of Gaza’s prewar population, highlights the extensive toll of Israel’s military offensive. The 11-week-long conflict has displaced almost 85% of Gaza’s population and caused widespread destruction.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports 20,057 documented deaths without distinguishing between combatant and civilian casualties. Approximately two-thirds of the deceased are identified as women or minors, and 53,320 Palestinians have been wounded. Israel attributes the high civilian death toll to Hamas’s use of residential areas for military purposes and claims to have killed around 7,000 Hamas militants, although no evidence has been presented to support this assertion.