why the UN reassessed the number of Palestinian women and children killed since the start of the conflict

These new data concern the nearly 25,000 deaths fully identified in the Palestinian enclave, specifies a United Nations spokesperson. Ten thousand other recorded bodies are still awaiting identification.

The change sparked questions – and the spread of false information – about the toll of the war in the Gaza Strip. Between Monday May 6 and Wednesday May 8, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) published two different assessments of the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas. The question concerns in particular the share of women and children killed in the Palestinian enclave since the start of Israeli operations in retaliation for the October 7 attacks.

In its report dated May 6, the Osha branch in the occupied Palestinian territories reported 34,735 people killed in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 turning point. Among these victims, Ocha recorded more than 9,500 women and more than 14,500 children, based on data from the press office of the Gaza government, led by Hamas.

Two days later, a notable difference appeared in a new assessment. The total number of victims, as of May 8, is 34,844 people, according to OCHA. Among these victims, 24,686 were identified: 10,006 men, 4,959 women and 7,797 children. The other 1,924 victims are elderly people. For women as for children, the figures may have given the impression of having been revised downwards.

These new data are those of the Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN, explained on Monday that the organization was using this source again, after having temporarily used figures from the Hamas press office, during a break in the reports given by the Ministry of Health, he explains, cited by the New York Times.

The information from the Ministry of Health is more precise, because it details the number of victims identified. However, more than 10,000 other people were killed (in the overall death toll of nearly 35,000). These bodies “must still be fully identified”, said Farhan Haq. “The details of these people – who are children, who are women – will be restored once the full identification process is completed,” did he declare.

The UN therefore continues to present a total toll of just under 35,000 “deaths reported” in Gaza. But “out of the 25,000 identified, if you look at the numbers [du ministère de la Santé]there were 40% men, 20% women, 32% children and (…) 8% elderly people”, specifies Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO). Considering that there are as many men as women among the elderly killed, the WHO reports “56% women and children” among the victims of hostilities.

According to Christian Lindmeier, among the bodies awaiting total identification, “There is a high probability of finding women and children instead, because they are typically the ones who stay at home.” “Based on a minimum statistical projection”, the balance sheet would thus be “60% women and children” You are. The proportion of women and children is therefore revised somewhat downwards at this stage, from 69% to 60%. It nevertheless remains very high.

The Israeli government openly criticizes the use of data provided by the Gazan authorities. “Anyone who uses false data from a terrorist organization to promote accusations of ritual murder against Israel is anti-Semitic and supports terrorism”, castigated Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, calling for the resignation of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. UN agencies point out that these data are the only ones available, and that they have been relatively accurate during previous conflicts, since Hamas came to power in the Gaza Strip.