Analyzing the Israel-Gaza Conflict: Examining the Significance of the Alleged 20,000 Casualties

At least 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have reportedly been killed since Israel began bombing the territory in response to Hamas's attacks in October. The death toll has been averaging nearly 300 people per day, according to data from Gaza's health ministry. However, this number is likely to be higher as it does not include victims buried under rubble or not taken to hospitals. The high death toll is unprecedented and has disproportionately affected the civilian population, particularly women and children. Gaza's high population density and the use of a variety of bombs by Israel have contributed to the scale of fatalities. Israel claims to take precautionary measures to avoid civilian casualties and argues that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. However, experts point out that the killing rate in Gaza is much higher than in other recent conflicts. The exact number of Hamas fighters killed is unclear, and there are no reliable figures for the ratio of civilians to combatants killed in Gaza.