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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.
See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"
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.
