Earlier this month, the #Lancet published an article estimating that the total number of Palestinian #civilian #deaths caused directly and indirectly by Israeli attacks since October 2023 could be nearly five times higher than the official #death toll, and could reach “up to 186 000 or even more.”
It noted that “this would translate to 7.9% of the total population in the #Gaza Strip.”
According to the piece, the latest available count of Palestinians killed – 37,396 – is far too low, based on the fact that it is still unknown how many more lie under the rubble, how many are #missing but not accounted for among the #dead, and how many will perish due to #starvation, #dehydration, or #diseases.
“Even if the conflict ends immediately, there will continue to be many indirect deaths in the coming months and years from causes such as reproductive, communicable, and non-communicable #diseases,” it noted.
However, even this Lancet estimate of nearly 200,000 dead might be only half the actual number of Palestinians killed, according to some counts.