The New York Times reported over the weekend that Gazan civilians are dying at a higher rate than other conflicts this century at the hands of Israel's bombing.
Axios reported Monday that "in less than two months' time, the Gaza death toll has already outstripped the more than 12,000 civilians killed in Iraq in 2003."
The Times, citing "experts," reported "people are being killed in Gaza more quickly … than in even the deadliest moments of U.S.-led attacks in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, which were themselves widely criticized by human rights groups." The NYT, citing the United Nations, reported that "more than 74%" of the more than 14,800 Palestinians killed in Gaza were women, children and elderly civilians.
However, the NYT report were immediately challenged and lambasted by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, given that the source of the death toll for Gazan civilians is the Gaza Ministry of Health — an arm of Hamas, the terrorist group that runs Gaza.
The Center asserted that Hamas stopped providing details about the age and sex of the dead in Gaza. Hamas also does not differentiate between militants and innocent civilians. Israel estimates that 4,000 Hamas/Palestine Islamic Jihad terrorists have been killed in the aftermath of Oct. 7, a number that runs afoul to the Hamas-fed numbers of civilians killed.
President Joe Biden a month ago said he had "no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using."
It was the Times — among other outlets — that was forced to walk back its report that 500 civilians were killed when Israel allegedly bombed al-Ahli Arab Hospital. Except dozens died after an errant missile launched by PIJ terrorists landed in the parking lot of the hospital.
Regardless, the United Nations continues to put stock in the numbers released by Hamas, saying Monday the war has "taken an appalling death toll that has shocked the world." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier this month said Gaza "is becoming a graveyard for children."
The death toll also continues to be pinned on Israel despite its efforts to warn of impending strikes to root out Hamas. Israel's military has repeatedly warned Gazans to vacate certain areas before a bombing, an effort largely nullified by Hamas' practice of embedding itself among civilians in Gaza.
"The death of any civilian during a war is tragic, but in the case of Israel's attacks on Hamas, such deaths are inevitable," said the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. "Hamas facilities and leaders hide behind civilians and under schools and hospitals. Hamas fighters block civilians from evacuating. And then, Hamas' Ministry of Health inflates the casualty figures."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.