# UN Reports Gaza Death Toll Far Exceeds Official Numbers
Concerning Discrepancies in Death Toll Reports
According to the United Nations, the actual number of fatalities resulting from the conflict in Gaza may be considerably higher than the figures that have been officially reported. In a statement made at a General Assembly meeting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths raised concerns about the accuracy of death tolls due to the recent collapse of communication networks in the region.
The Gaza Health Ministry’s Initial Death Toll
Originally, the Gaza Health Ministry reported on November 13 that since October 7, 11,240 individuals, including 4,630 children, had perished. These figures were based solely on hospital records, which may represent a significant undercount. The true extent of casualties is likely larger, given that those who were not taken to a hospital or whose bodies have yet to be recovered from bombed sites have not been included in the count.
Updates and UN Security Council Resolution
By November 17, Palestinian authorities had revised the death toll to 12,000. The surge in numbers signals a dire escalation of the humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations Security Council, on November 15, passed its inaugural resolution since the beginning of the war, advocating for “urgent and prolonged humanitarian pauses” in Gaza. The United States and the United Kingdom abstained from the vote due to the absence of any condemnation of the Hamas attack on Israel that occurred on October 7. Similarly, Russia abstained, citing the resolution’s failure to push for a humanitarian ceasefire.
Unprecedented Attacks and International Responses
The conflict intensified on October 7 when Hamas launched thousands of missiles from the Gaza Strip and executed an armed incursion into southern Israel’s border areas. As a countermeasure, Israel mobilized 360,000 reservists and initiated a campaign of severe aerial bombardments across the Gaza Strip. Later in October, Israeli troops entered Gaza with the objectives to dismantle Hamas’ infrastructure and rescue over 200 captives.
Despite multiple appeals from various countries for a cessation of hostilities, the conflict has resulted in the loss of approximately 11,500 civilians, most of whom were children and women in Gaza, and more than 1,200 Israeli lives.
The Two-State Solution Debate
The international perspective is increasingly in favor of a two-state solution as the only viable pathway to long-lasting peace in the region, a stance initially delineated by the UN in 1947. Although Israel has expressed agreement with the two-state principle in theory, it has yet to completely withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories.
To date, the hostilities have inflicted over 1,400 deaths and nearly 5,500 injuries in Israel, based on the most up-to-date data available.
Humanitarian Crisis: Hunger and Food Shortages
Amidst the violence, the civilian population in the Gaza Strip is also grappling with hunger and an acute shortage of food supplies, adding another tragic dimension to the crisis.
*The details provided in this article are based on a report by Sputnik World, with the full version of the story accessible through their website.*
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This article was compiled and presented in accordance with current information as of the date of publication. The rapidly evolving nature of the conflict may lead to new developments subsequent to this report.