More than numbers: The hidden human lives lost in Gaza

The German weekly newspaper ZEIT reported that the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in the genocide in Gaza may be significantly higher than previously believed.

According to calculations by a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, based in the port city of Rostock in northeastern Germany, at least 100,000 people have been killed in this genocidal war, which has lasted more than two years.

Irina Chen, one of the project directors, stated: “We will never know the exact number of victims. We are only trying to estimate as accurately as possible what a realistic scale might be.”

Based on the researchers’ estimates, between 99,997 and 125,915 people have been killed in the genocide of the besieged population of Gaza. The average number of martyrs, according to their calculations, is 112,069.

The Max Planck researchers compiled data from multiple sources and carried out a statistical projection. In addition to figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health, they also included an independent household survey and mortality reports collected from social media.

Until now, the only official source for casualty figures was the Gaza Ministry of Health, which has reported 67,173 deaths over the two years of genocide.

However, according to ZEIT, there is no evidence of data manipulation.

On the contrary, independent research teams have previously found that the Ministry of Health in Gaza often reports figures conservatively.

It is now well documented that the number of people killed in Gaza is higher than official figures indicate, and multiple studies consistently point to a large number of unreported deaths.

The Gaza Ministry of Health only counts confirmed deaths, meaning those who have an official death certificate issued by a hospital.

However, many hospitals have been forced to halt normal operations during the genocide. As a result, the Ministry now also relies on death notifications from family members, which are then verified by a special committee.

For example, those killed and buried under the rubble of bombed buildings are often not recorded in official statistics.

The Max Planck team built their work upon previous findings and calculated more precise mortality estimates. They analyzed men and women separately, as well as different age groups.

This method not only produces more accurate overall figures but also allows a clearer breakdown of the victims. The accuracy of death records varies by gender and age; women are recorded less frequently than men, and official statistics often do not include deaths of people over 60.

According to the researchers’ estimates:

• Around 27% of the victims are children under 15
• Around 24% are women

The researchers also calculated the impact of genocide on life expectancy in Gaza.

Before the war:

• Life expectancy for women was 77 years
• Life expectancy for men was 74 years

For 2024, demographers predict:

• 46 years for women
• 36 years for men

This shows that if Israeli attacks continue at the current pace, Palestinians will only reach these drastically reduced life expectancies.

These figures illustrate how dangerous and catastrophic life has become for Gaza’s civilian population.

Beyond mass killings, Israel has turned most of the besieged territory into ruins, effectively displacing nearly the entire population.