Israel's admission that its estimated death toll in Gaza is accurate has come too late for many. The damage control efforts are already underway as officials and apologists attempt to shift the goalposts on the scale of civilian casualties.
What was always clear, however, is that the UN has verified the health ministry's figures and that they contain an unprecedented level of detail. Every victim's identity, including name, date of birth, gender and ID number, is meticulously recorded. This was not something that could be fabricated or exaggerated by Hamas.
Despite this, prominent voices in Israel and the US had long dismissed the health ministry as unreliable. Many argued that the death toll was an overestimation or even a fabrication by Hamas. This misinformation campaign served to erode trust in the data and hinder efforts to provide aid to those affected.
However, it appears that some of these apologists are already trying to redefine what is considered acceptable when it comes to civilian casualties. The argument that while 70,000 deaths may be accurate, the ratio of civilians to militants does not make them "innocent" is a classic case of moving the goalposts.
The definition of what constitutes a militant is also critical in this debate. Israel's own intelligence database reveals that over 60% of Gaza's territory remains occupied and subject to military control. Those living within these areas are automatically labeled as suspects, regardless of their involvement with Hamas or any other group.
It's worth noting that the health ministry's figures do not include those still under rubble or "indirect" deaths from starvation and disease. Various scientific studies have estimated the true death toll may be far higher than 100,000.
In conclusion, Israel's admission is a step in the right direction but it comes too late to mitigate the harm caused by years of denial and misinformation. The climate of doubt surrounding the health ministry's data allowed Israel to continue its bombardment with impunity, resulting in catastrophic consequences for civilians.
What was always clear, however, is that the UN has verified the health ministry's figures and that they contain an unprecedented level of detail. Every victim's identity, including name, date of birth, gender and ID number, is meticulously recorded. This was not something that could be fabricated or exaggerated by Hamas.
Despite this, prominent voices in Israel and the US had long dismissed the health ministry as unreliable. Many argued that the death toll was an overestimation or even a fabrication by Hamas. This misinformation campaign served to erode trust in the data and hinder efforts to provide aid to those affected.
However, it appears that some of these apologists are already trying to redefine what is considered acceptable when it comes to civilian casualties. The argument that while 70,000 deaths may be accurate, the ratio of civilians to militants does not make them "innocent" is a classic case of moving the goalposts.
The definition of what constitutes a militant is also critical in this debate. Israel's own intelligence database reveals that over 60% of Gaza's territory remains occupied and subject to military control. Those living within these areas are automatically labeled as suspects, regardless of their involvement with Hamas or any other group.
It's worth noting that the health ministry's figures do not include those still under rubble or "indirect" deaths from starvation and disease. Various scientific studies have estimated the true death toll may be far higher than 100,000.
In conclusion, Israel's admission is a step in the right direction but it comes too late to mitigate the harm caused by years of denial and misinformation. The climate of doubt surrounding the health ministry's data allowed Israel to continue its bombardment with impunity, resulting in catastrophic consequences for civilians.
i mean like how can u just dismiss the UN verified figures from the health ministry and then try to shift the goalposts now? it's like they want to rewrite history or something.
it just doesn't add up. i mean i get that israel's got security concerns but come on, you cant just label entire neighborhoods as "militant" zones and expect ppl to just sit back and wait for their fate.
like yeah i get it, it's a huge number but at what cost? countless families left without loved ones, homes destroyed, lives shattered. it's not just about numbers, its about human lives.
so sad that we're still living in a world where ppl can deny reality like this.
This news feels like a really belated attempt at damage control 
. I mean, it's not like anyone thought the numbers were made up by Hamas or anything... we all know that's not true 
. The real issue here is how long it took Israel to admit the truth and how many lives were lost in the meantime 
. And now they're trying to redefine what constitutes a "civilian" 
. We need to hold people accountable for their actions, not try to spin them into something more palatable 
.
it was like the cat was trying to compose its own symphony lol anyway back to israel and gaza i wonder if they ever think about the actual cost of all that warfare on the environment? i mean like, have you seen pics of the destruction in gaza after those intense airstrikes? it's like a war crime against nature too 
come on forum moderators can't you do anything about these trolls? they keep changing the rules left and right it's like they're trying to confuse us on purpose 
. seriously though how hard is it to stick to one set of guidelines? this whole thing is just a headache 
.
but it's all too little too late now...70k deaths is still a staggering number...and those 60% of gaza territory that's occupied is like, where do you even begin? 
. I mean, who cares about "militants" and ratios and all that jazz? Innocent lives lost is what matters 
. And those "apologists" trying to shift the blame... please 
. I wish people would focus on real solutions instead of spinning this narrative 
. It's essential to acknowledge that those living under military occupation are not necessarily combatants, regardless of their involvement with Hamas or any other group 
. The true death toll may be significantly higher than 100,000, and it's crucial that we focus on providing aid to those affected rather than rehashing the same talking points 
.
. The health ministry's data is clear, but it seems like some people don't want to see the truth or care about the consequences 
it just goes to show how easy it is to spread misinformation and hurt ppl's trust. what really bothers me tho is that some ppl are trying to shift the blame and redefine who's considered a "militant". its not okay to label ppl as suspects just bc they live in an occupied area, thats just discriminatory 
it was so cute! like, who knew they could hold their breath for so long? 4 min 23 sec ish lol anyway back to the Gaza situation...i feel bad for those ppl but like what's the point of knowing the exact death toll if no one's gonna do anything about it? 
. Those "apologists" trying to shift goalposts now are just doing it for PR 
. The fact remains, Israel knew the real death toll & did nothing 
. The health ministries figures may not include everyone, but at least it shows that theyre trying to give a real number. We need more transparency like this, not less.
100k+, like that study said. And those people under rubble, they're not even counted. It's all just numbers, right? 
didnt help that all the ppl who werent payin attention just swallowed whatever israel threw out there 
. The fact is, Israel's been playing with fire for years, and it's time someone held them accountable 
.