How Gaza’s Health Ministry Tracks Casualties Amid Conflict

November 9, 2023

As Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip intensifies, the death toll in this Palestinian enclave has reached a staggering number, surpassing 10,000 people. With the borders sealed by Israel, Gaza’s Ministry of Health serves as the primary source for casualty figures, making it crucial for news organizations, human rights groups, and international bodies, including the United Nations.

Control of the Ministry

Gaza’s Ministry of Health operates under the control of the Hamas government, which differs from its political and security agencies. Health and education services in Gaza remain under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority (PA), even though Hamas took control following the 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections. The PA administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has its own health ministry in Ramallah, responsible for providing medical equipment, paying salaries to ministry employees, and managing patient transfers from Gaza to Israeli hospitals.

Calculation of the Death Toll

The ministry tracks casualties by maintaining records of wounded individuals in hospitals and documenting deceased bodies in morgues. This data is entered into a computerized system shared with the ministry’s spokesperson, Ashraf al-Qidra, who disseminates the information to the media and various organizations. While connectivity issues can pose challenges, al-Qidra and his colleagues verify the numbers. Additionally, the ministry receives data from other sources, including the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Release of Casualty Updates

The ministry provides regular updates on casualties, typically releasing figures every few hours. These updates include the number of dead and wounded, categorized by gender and age. However, the ministry generally does not disclose the names, ages, or specific locations of the victims. An exception occurred on October 27, when the ministry issued a comprehensive 212-page report listing every Palestinian killed in the conflict, including their names, ID numbers, ages, and genders. This was done in response to doubts raised by the United States regarding the ministry’s figures.

Differentiating Between Civilians and Combatants

The Gaza Ministry of Health does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its casualty reports. This distinction often becomes clear only after investigations by the United Nations, human rights groups, and when militant groups provide their own tallies of members killed.

Reliability of the Ministry’s Data

According to Human Rights Watch, the ministry’s casualty figures are generally considered to be fairly accurate, with no major errors reported in their investigations of Gazan casualties in previous conflicts. Additionally, UN agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Palestinian Red Crescent rely on these figures for their assessments of the situation.

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