• A study estimates over 75,000 violent deaths in Gaza versus 49,000 reported by officials.
• The research claims that local authorities underreported deaths due to chaos and unrecorded fatalities.
• Women, children, and elderly accounted for approximately 56% of violent deaths.

A recent study conducted by The Lancet Global Health journal estimates that the number of "violent deaths" in Gaza has exceeded 75,000 during the war that began following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. This figure is substantially higher than the 49,090 deaths reported at that time by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, suggesting an underreporting of approximately 35% in the official toll, according to Middle East Eye, Le Monde, and Reuters.

The study, which involved interviews with 2,000 households in Gaza and was conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, indicates that women, children, and elderly individuals made up 56.2% of violent deaths, a finding supporting the Ministry of Health's reports. Despite historical accusations of inflation in casualty figures, the research suggests that the ministry’s previous claims provided a conservative estimate, according to Le Monde and Reuters.

The study’s authors highlight that significant underreporting issues stemmed from chaotic conditions in Gaza, making it difficult to count and identify bodies, particularly when entire families were affected. It is noted that beyond violent deaths, there may be over 16,300 non-violent fatalities attributed to illness and other indirect causes linked to the conflict, raising concerns about the broader public health impact in the region, according to Middle East Eye and Reuters.