UN Halves Its Estimate of Women and Children Killed in Gaza
from
Pressure Points and
Middle East Program
UN Halves Its Estimate of Women and Children Killed in Gaza
Between May 6 and May 8, the UN cut in half its estimates of the number of women and children killed in Gaza. The estimates were based on Hamas numbers and are a reminder that all fatality estimates coming from that source are unreliable.
Blog Post by
Elliott Abrams
May 12, 2024 11:44 am (EST)
From the beginning of the Gaza war on October 7th, almost every statement about Palestinian fatalities has been based on Hamas numbers. The “Gaza Ministry of Health” or the “Government Media Office” are the usual sources, as if those words meant anything other than Hamas.
The
UN claimed 23,084 dead by January 7. On February 29,
NPR said more than 30,000 had been killed.
Wikipedia says “As of May 8….over 34,263 have been killed, 70% of them are women and minors.”
Time Magazine carried an article by a professor at the
Columbia University School of Public Health on March 15 that claimed more than 30,000 were dead and said “Actually, the numbers are likely conservative. The science is extremely clear.” President
Biden has used the 30,000 figure himself, in his State of the Union speech.
It has become increasingly clear that these numbers represent Hamas propaganda. The best analysis was done by Prof. Abraham
Wyner of the Wharton School at Penn, in an article in Tablet Magazine. He demonstrates conclusively that “The numbers are not real. That much is obvious to anyone who understands how naturally occurring numbers work. The casualties are not overwhelmingly women and children….”
Pressure Points
Abrams gives his take on U.S. foreign policy, with special focus on the Middle East and democracy and human rights issues.
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But all of a sudden the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Activities (OCHA), revised its figures. The
Jerusalem Post reported the story on May 11:
On May 6, the UN published data showing that 34,735 people had reportedly been killed in Gaza, including over 9,500 women and over 14,500 children. On May 8, the UN published data showing 34,844 people had reportedly been killed, including 4,959 women and 7,797 children
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