Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Richard D

(9,352 posts)
Mon Mar 11, 2024, 12:27 PM Mar 2024

Casualty numbers from Gaza Health Ministry . . .

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Mosby (a host of the Jewish Group group).

AKA Hamas, on statistical analysis, seem to be faked:

The number of civilian casualties in Gaza has been at the center of international attention since the start of the war. The main source for the data has been the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, which now claims more than 30,000 dead, the majority of which it says are children and women. Recently, the Biden administration lent legitimacy to Hamas’ figure. When asked at a House Armed Services Committee hearing last week how many Palestinian women and children have been killed since Oct. 7, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the number was “over 25,000.” The Pentagon quickly clarified that the secretary “was citing an estimate from the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.” President Biden himself had earlier cited this figure, asserting that “too many, too many of the over 27,000 Palestinians killed in this conflict have been innocent civilians and children, including thousands of children.” The White House also explained that the president “was referring to publicly available data about the total number of casualties.”

Here’s the problem with this data: 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, and the majority may be Hamas fighters.

If Hamas’ numbers are faked or fraudulent in some way, there may be evidence in the numbers themselves that can demonstrate it. While there is not much data available, there is a little, and it is enough: From Oct. 26 until Nov. 10, 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry released daily casualty figures that include both a total number and a specific number of women and children.


More: https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/how-gaza-health-ministry-fakes-casualty-numbers
6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Casualty numbers from Gaza Health Ministry . . . (Original Post) Richard D Mar 2024 OP
Arguing on the legitimacy of civilian casualties is a no win situation. Civilian JohnSJ Mar 2024 #1
Very interesting. Deserves wider exposure Bernardo de La Paz Mar 2024 #2
Unfortunately, it probably won't get wider exposure. DavidDvorkin Mar 2024 #5
Thank you for posting this LetMyPeopleVote Mar 2024 #3
So, basically, no one really knows the numbers. My eyes are not lying to me when I see all of the destruction though. TeamProg Mar 2024 #4
Locking this Mosby Mar 2024 #6

JohnSJ

(96,520 posts)
1. Arguing on the legitimacy of civilian casualties is a no win situation. Civilian
Mon Mar 11, 2024, 12:36 PM
Mar 2024

casualties regardless are bad.

The problem is that Hamas is effectively given a free pass because of all the criticism against Israel.







Bernardo de La Paz

(50,893 posts)
2. Very interesting. Deserves wider exposure
Mon Mar 11, 2024, 12:36 PM
Mar 2024

It would be especially damning if now the figures were to begin to match the points of the article instead of being statistically strange as they have been.

DavidDvorkin

(19,889 posts)
5. Unfortunately, it probably won't get wider exposure.
Mon Mar 11, 2024, 02:08 PM
Mar 2024

LetMyPeopleVote

(154,421 posts)
3. Thank you for posting this
Mon Mar 11, 2024, 01:15 PM
Mar 2024

Hamas is not a reliable source

 

TeamProg

(6,630 posts)
4. So, basically, no one really knows the numbers. My eyes are not lying to me when I see all of the destruction though.
Mon Mar 11, 2024, 01:38 PM
Mar 2024

What do your eyes tell you?

Mosby

(17,452 posts)
6. Locking this
Tue Mar 12, 2024, 11:04 AM
Mar 2024

While this is an important analysis of the casualty figures in the 4th Israel/Hamas war, the Jewish group hosts are in agreement that this OP is more suited to DU forums like IP and GD. This article was posted in IP:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1134140181

Thanks.

Latest Discussions»Alliance Forums»Jewish Group»Casualty numbers from Gaz...