United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, during a congressional hearing on Thursday, February 29th, disclosed that over 25,000 women and children have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict in Gaza since October 7th.
Austin’s response came when Congressman Ro Khanna inquired about the casualty figures among Palestinian women and children, to which Austin replied, “It is over 25,000.”
The focus of the hearing quickly shifted to the implications of such a high civilian toll and the international response to Israel’s military strategies.
Israel has been under fire for its aggressive targeting of residential areas, which has led to a significant number of civilian casualties.
Despite criticism from various human rights organizations and international bodies, Israel continues to justify its approach, even as the International Court of Justice examines allegations of genocide against the nation.
The discussion also ventured into the specifics of military assistance, with Khanna highlighting concerns over the legality of weapon transfers to Israel.
Despite Khanna’s questioning, Austin could not specify the quantity of precision-guided munitions transfers sent to Israel by the United States.
The lawmaker said, “It’s about 21,000 precision-guided munitions.”
Khanna also questioned Austin about the possibility of withdrawing military assistance from Israel should it pursue a planned ground invasion of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians are seeking refuge.
In response, Austin emphasized the necessity of a “credible plan” to safeguard the city.
Responding to a question about whether he would halt military sales to Israel if it invaded Rafah, Austin stated that President Joe Biden would make the decision.
“I expect that when we provide munitions to allies and partners, that they’ll use them in a responsible way,” remarked the defense secretary.
However, shortly after the hearing, a Pentagon spokesperson clarified Austin’s casualty figures were sourced from Gaza’s Ministry of Health and not independently verified by U.S. intelligence.
This clarification came amidst reports from Gaza’s Health Ministry, indicating a total Palestinian death toll surpassing 30,000, including a large number of children and women.
The ministry’s number corresponds to about 1.3% of the territory’s population of 2.3 million.
The actual death toll is likely higher, as the count excludes individuals who have not reached hospitals, including thousands still trapped under the rubble of buildings targeted by Israeli airstrikes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that it maintains a “long-standing collaboration” with Gaza’s health organization, emphasizing its strong data collection and analysis capabilities. Its past reporting has been deemed reliable and robust by the UN.
The UN cautions that a quarter of Gaza’s population is currently facing the threat of famine, with a sharp rise in infectious diseases exacerbated by a widespread shortage of medications and inadequate medical attention.
Thursday’s congressional hearing followed reports of an incident where over 100 individuals were killed while gathering food aid in Gaza, sparking global condemnation.
Israeli authorities initially attributed the tragedy to a stampede caused by the crowd, later adjusting their stance to claim their troops responded to perceived threats.
Witnesses maintained that the stampede occurred after Israeli troops began firing at individuals who were searching for food.
