Sarmad Ishfaq is an independent researcher and writer whose work has been published by Harvard Kennedy School Review, The Diplomat, Open Democracy, Paradigm Shift, Mondoweiss, and Eurasia Review to name a few. He has also been published by several international peer-reviewed journals such as Taylor and Francis' Social Identities. Before becoming an independent writer, he worked as a research fellow for the Lahore Center for Peace Research. He has a master's degree in International Relations from the University of Wollongong in Dubai where he was recognized as the 'Top Graduate'.
Introduction
This article is intended to shed light on the number of Palestinian casualties that have been caused by Israel in the 2023 Gaza War. To give more context and effectively showcase the devastation caused by Israel, the article compares the casualties (deceased and injured) from the 5 previous conflicts and compares them with the casualties from the current conflict.
The results highlight how the combined casualties of the previous 5 conflicts have been dwarfed by the casualties in the current Gaza war. This is an ignominious reminder of the world government’s antipathy towards the Palestinians. Please do note that while writing this piece, the 2023 Gaza War is still ongoing and these numbers unfortunately will rise. We will update this piece from time to time to reflect the current data.
Previous 5 Conflicts
The table below highlights the total casualties in the 5 conflicts that took place before the 2023 Gaza War.
| Past Conflicts | Estimated Palestinian civilians & combatants killed | Estimated Palestinian civilians & combatants injured | Estimated Israeli civilians & combatants killed | Estimated Israeli civilians & combatants injured |
| Operation Cast Lead (2008-09) | 1,300 | 500 | 13 | 518 |
| Operation Returning Echo (2012) | 23 | 74 | 0 | 23 |
| Operation Pillar of Defence (2012) | 225 | 1,000 | 6 | 239 |
| Operation Protective Edge (2014) | 2,310 | 10,626 | 73 | 556 |
| May 2021 Conflict | 434 | 2,500 | 12 | 123 |
| Total Casualties | 18,992 | 1,563 | ||
The total number of casualties of both Palestinians and Israelis in these conflicts is an estimated 20,555 (18,992 Palestinians + 1,563 Israelis). This means that an overwhelming 92.39% of Palestinians died or were wounded in these conflicts contrasted with only 7.60% of Israelis.
2023 Gaza War
These combined casualties, tragic as they are, have been unfortunately eclipsed by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The story of the skewed/one-sided casualties is further reinforced.
| Conflict | Estimated Palestinian civilians & combatants killed | Estimated Palestinian civilians & combatants injured | Estimated Israeli civilians & combatants killed | Estimated Israeli civilians & combatants injured |
| Gaza War 2023 | 33,686 | 76,309 | 1,410 | 10,580 |
| Total Casualties | 109,995 | 11,990 | ||
The total number of casualties of Palestinians, both civilians and combatants is around 109,995 (33,686 killed + 76,309 injured). This number does not include the over 10,000 people missing under the ruble. These numbers come from the Gaza Health Ministry whose numbers are historically considered reliable by the UN, WHO, and HRW, Palestinian Information Centre as well as the Palestinian Health Ministry (in the West Bank).
The majority of the total Palestinian casualties comprise civilians with the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (EMHRM) reporting that around 90% of the casualties were civilians. Of this harrowing percentage, most casualties comprise women and children. EMHRM non-profit writes that “Contrary to Israeli claims, 9 out of 10 of those killed in Gaza are civilians.”
Compared to this the Israeli casualties, both civilians and combatants, amount to an estimated 11,990 (1,410 killed + 10,580 injured) as per various Israeli sources. This means that as before, the casualties are skewed overwhelmingly towards the Palestinian side with over 90% of casualties being Palestinian compared to almost 10% Israelis.
Palestinian Casualties of the Previous 5 Conflicts vs the 2023 Gaza War
Israel has unapologetically killed and injured more Palestinians, primarily civilians, in the 2023 Gaza War compared to the combined casualties of the last 5 conflicts, making the current war one of the bloodiest conflicts between the two.
Palestinian casualties in the 2023 Gaza War amounted to an estimated 109,995 making it almost 6 times more than the COMBINED casualties of the previous 5 conflicts which stood at around 18,992.
If we combine the casualties from the previous 5 conflicts with the casualties from the Gaza War 2023, the total Palestinian casualties amount to 128,987 compared to Israel’s 13,553. In percentage terms, this means that over 90% of the total casualties were Palestinian. This immutably reiterates the disproportionate suffering of the Palestinians.
Unfortunately, if the current conflict, which is more a Palestinian genocide than anything else, continues unabated, Palestinian casualties will proliferate further. This is indelibly owed to the US support for Israel and the US’s disinterest in deterring the genocide of the Palestinians.
Comparing these eras visibly discerns two things: first, that the Palestinian civilians always suffer in a greater magnitude as compared to the Israelis, and second, that the ongoing conflict is the worst rendition of all the previous aggressions.
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