UN Undersecretary of State for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths has expressed concerns that the death toll from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict could be much higher than currently reported figures. The exact number of casualties buried under the rubble in the Gaza Strip remains unknown, he told Financial Times.
He stated that "disease and hunger have become the primary causes of death and deprivation" in the enclave, where a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding. "The number of deaths from disease could be several times higher than the casualties from fighting and airstrikes," he explained. However, Griffiths noted that the statistics "could change dramatically" when the rubble is cleared.
Drawing a parallel, he mentioned the [February] earthquake in Turkey, where the death toll doubled after the collapse sites were cleared. Earlier this year, over 50,000 people were killed by earthquakes in southeastern Turkey.
As reported earlier, more than 19 thousand people were killed during the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip and due to increased clashes in the West Bank in these Palestinian regions. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, "70% of the victims of Israeli attacks are women and teenagers."
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Based on materials from TASS