Gaza conflict death toll surpasses 40,000 in ten months

The Gaza conflict, which erupted over ten months ago, has resulted in a staggering loss of life. The health ministry in Gaza reports at least 40,005 fatalities in the Palestinian territory due to Israel’s retaliatory campaign following the October 7 attack. This figure does not differentiate between civilian and militant casualties.

The unprecedented Hamas assault on southern Israel led to the deaths of 1,198 individuals, both Israelis and foreigners, primarily civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data. While Hamas has not disclosed the number of its fighters killed in the Gaza conflict, the Israeli military claims around 14,000 militants have been killed or detained by July 16. Among these were six brigade commanders, over 20 battalion commanders, and approximately 150 company commanders. Independent verification of these numbers is challenging.

The International Institute of Strategic Studies estimated Hamas’s Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades had 15,000-20,000 fighters, while Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies cited 15,000, noting that Arab media mentioned 40,000.

Around a third of those killed in Israel on October 7 and the following two days were security personnel, including 306 soldiers, 60 police officers, and 10 members of the Shin Bet internal security service. Additionally, 79 foreigners, mainly Thai workers, were among the casualties. Since the conflict began, 690 Israeli troops have died, with 20 of these deaths resulting from friendly fire.

The Gaza military campaign, which started on October 27, has claimed the lives of 330 soldiers. Violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has led to the deaths of at least 18 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, among them Jewish settlers. In the northern region, Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks from Lebanon have killed 26 civilians and 22 soldiers.

Of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 111 remain in Gaza, with the military reporting that 39 are dead. A one-week truce in November saw the release of 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners, with the bodies of 24 hostages returned to Israel since the conflict’s onset. The Israeli military has mobilised 300,000 reservists, 17% of whom are women.

In the West Bank, attacks by Israeli soldiers and settlers have resulted in the deaths of at least 632 Palestinians, based on data from the Ramallah-based health ministry. By July 16, Israel reported approximately 37,000 airstrikes on Gaza, targeting over 25,000 sites related to terrorist infrastructure. Israeli fire in Lebanon has killed 570 people since October, primarily Hezbollah fighters, but also 118 civilians.

Hezbollah stated that more than 370 of its fighters have died. Fighters from other groups, including Hamas and the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement, are also included in the casualty total. The cross-border Gaza conflict has displaced tens of thousands in southern Lebanon and northern Israel. Israeli strikes in Syria have killed at least 25 Hezbollah fighters and seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards in an April strike on Damascus. Last week, Israel reported over 7,500 rockets fired from Lebanon since the war began.