One State Department envoy has suggested that Palestinian estimates may be underestimating the number of casualties.
Congress has been informed by US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf that the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza during Israel’s war on Hamas is likely greater than the 10,000 figures provided by the local health ministry.
At a hearing on Wednesday, Leaf told the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “It is very difficult for any of us to assess what the rate of casualties is in this period of conflict and conditions of war,” according to The Hill. To be honest, we believe they are extremely high, and it’s possible that they are even higher than those being reported.
Leaf continued, “We source from a range of people who are on the ground.” “It’s possible that the figures are even higher than what is being reported, but I can’t say for sure.”
According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, as of Wednesday, there had been 10,569 confirmed deaths from Israeli attacks, including 4,324 minors, 26,475 injuries, and at least 2,550 unaccounted for.
Leaf’s remarks appeared to contradict US President Joe Biden’s remarks from last month, in which he had “no confidence” in the Palestinian figures. John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said reporters that the Gaza Health Ministry is “just a front for Hamas.”
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“We cannot accept anything emanating from Hamas, including the purported “Ministry of Health,” verbatim,” Kirby declared during the October 26 White House press briefing.
According to a New York Times article published last week, Israeli officials “believed mass civilian casualties were an acceptable price in the military campaign,” drawing comparisons between the operations in Gaza and the firebombings of Germany and Japan during World War II. It is reported that the US has asked Israel to refrain from killing civilians.
Following the October 7th raid by the Palestinian militant group, which claimed the lives of an estimated 1,400 Israeli people and left over 200 in captivity, Israel declared war on Hamas.
While describing the plight of civilians in Gaza as “emotionally wrenching,” Leaf told the House subcommittee on Wednesday that it would be incorrect to halt the Israeli military campaign.
“Calling for an immediate cease-fire that Hamas may or may not uphold would leave Hamas in charge of about 240 hostages, including infants and children, and would also leave, fairly intact, a large portion of Hamas’ military infrastructure, warfighting capability, and capacity to commit acts of terrorism,” the speaker stated.
