Israeli Analysis Validates Gaza Death Toll Data

The investigation, authored by Nir Hasson, highlights a growing consensus among experts that the ministry’s records are reliable, with errors estimated at approximately 1%. Gabriel Epstein, an analyst at the Israel Policy Forum who previously questioned the data, verified 99.91% of entries as complete, noting that the records may actually undercount the total dead. This assessment aligns with earlier acknowledgments from senior Israeli military figures, including former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who noted that over 10% of Gaza's population has been killed or injured since October 2023.

Despite this, Israeli officials continue to label the ministry’s reporting as unreliable. However, the analysis points out that the state has failed to produce an alternative dataset or prove that any individual listed as deceased is actually alive. The ministry’s figures remain limited to combat-related deaths, excluding thousands of individuals still buried under rubble or those lost to starvation and disease. Historical comparisons further support the ministry’s consistency, as similar discrepancies occurred in previous conflicts where Israeli and Palestinian tallies remained closely aligned.