Hamas’ Gaza death toll questioned as new report says its led to ‘widespread inaccuracies and distortion’

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A recent report has shed light on the inaccuracies and distortions in the casualty figures provided by the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health during the conflict in Gaza. The report, conducted by the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), a U.K. based think tank, found that the data released by the MoH has painted a misleading picture of the conflict. Journalists worldwide have uncritically reported the inflated numbers without verifying the information or providing alternative perspectives from Israeli sources.

Andrew Fox, a fellow at HJS and the author of the report, explained that the research was based on casualty figures released by the MoH and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Despite the challenges of interrogating the constantly changing data, Fox and his team were able to uncover discrepancies in the reporting. The MoH recently updated its death toll to over 45,000, raising concerns about the accuracy of the numbers.

The report highlighted several issues with the MoH’s data collection process, including errors in recording casualties and biases in gender breakdowns. Fox pointed out that the ministry’s reporting suggested that women and children accounted for more than half of the casualties, leading to accusations against Israel. However, the data showed a disproportionate number of adult males among the casualties, raising questions about the accuracy of the figures.

Furthermore, the report identified instances where casualties were recorded improperly, inflating the numbers of women and children killed. It also found that the MoH’s casualty figures did not account for natural deaths or deaths unrelated to Israeli military action. The inclusion of individuals who died before the conflict began and the misclassification of combatants and civilians further undermined the credibility of the data.

Despite the questionable reliability of the MoH’s data, the report revealed that the majority of media outlets relied on these figures, while only a small percentage cited Israeli statistics. Fox noted that very few articles mentioned the controversies surrounding the MoH’s data, highlighting a lack of scrutiny in reporting on the conflict.

In conclusion, the report underscores the importance of critically evaluating information and considering alternative perspectives in conflict reporting. By joining Fox News, you can gain access to in-depth analysis and exclusive content that provides a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues like the conflict in Gaza. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stay informed and engaged with the latest news and analysis.