The United Nations has revised its casualty figures from the Gaza war, admitting that its initial report of 13,450 children killed was an overstatement. The new figures, released last week, put the number of child fatalities at 7,797, a 42% reduction. The UN attributed the error to the “fog of war,” citing difficulties in obtaining accurate information during conflicts.

However, critics argue that the UN’s reliance on figures from the Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry, without proper verification, led to the inflated numbers. Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, stated, “The UN’s goal is not accuracy, but rather to portray Israel as malevolent.” He added that the UN should admit its casualty count in Gaza is a “complete failure.”

The revised figures also show a significant reduction in the number of women killed, from 9,500 to fewer than 5,000. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) now differentiates between “reported” and “identified” fatalities, with the 7,797 children figure falling under the “identified” category.

Independent scholar Salo Aizenberg pointed out that the UN’s reliance on Hamas-supplied figures, without independent verification, raises concerns about accuracy. Aizenberg’s research found that “for many months, there have been obvious errors identified in the numbers published daily by OCHA, which are ultimately based on Hamas reporting,” he told JNS.

Abraham Wyner, a professor of statistics and data science, published a statistical analysis showing how Hamas faked casualty numbers. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy also released a report highlighting major discrepancies in fatality reports, concluding they were likely caused by manipulation.

The revised figures have significant implications, as they contradict claims of indiscriminate Israeli attacks and suggest a lower civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio. The UN’s continued reliance on Hamas-supplied figures, despite their proven unreliability, simply demonstrated how they are okay with perpetuating terrorist propaganda.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)