health
February 20, 2026
Gaza war deaths far higher than official figures
Violent deaths in Gaza war have exceeded official figures by about 35%, according to a population-based survey by The Lancet
TL;DR
- An independent population-based survey suggests the number of violent deaths in Gaza from the Israel-Hamas war is substantially higher than official figures.
- The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, estimates conflict-related fatalities between Oct 7, 2023, and Jan 5, 2025, were around 35% higher than Gaza Health Ministry figures.
- Researchers estimate 3-4% of Gaza's population (around 75,000 people) were killed violently, with a significant number of indirect, non-violent deaths also occurring.
- The demographic profile of casualties in the survey matched official reporting, with women, children, and those over 64 comprising about 56% of violent deaths.
- The survey estimated over 16,000 non-violent deaths, including approximately 8,500 excess deaths above pre-war levels.
- The findings suggest official figures from the Gaza Health Ministry are "conservative and reliable."
- The Lancet study warned that conditions in Gaza deteriorated further after data collection, potentially increasing indirect deaths.
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