Israel has revised the death toll from the October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel. The foreign ministry has now said that the death toll now is ‘around 1200’ earlier estimates from Israeli government said that the death toll was 1400.
“Around 1,200 is the official number of victims of the October 7 massacre,” said Lior Haiat, spokesman of Israel’s foreign ministry in a statement cited by Reuters. He said that the figure was revised on Thursday (November 9).
“This is the updated number,” he said. “It is due to the fact that there were lot of corpses that were not identified and now we think those belong to terrorists … not Israeli casualties.”
This quote was reported by AFP, but the agency shortly said that the spokesperson withdrew the latter part of the quote.
Hamas fighters crossed the border from Gaza Strip and mounted an attack inside Israel on October 7. In addition to killing people, Hamas fighters also took more than 200 hostages most of whom still remain in their custody.
Israel has responded with an overwhelming military action and has pounded Gaza Strip with hundreds of air raids. Israel has also initiated ground attacks with deployment of tanks and troops. According to Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, the death toll in the enclave has crossed 11,000. There is a growing demand from different countries in the world for a ceasefire but Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly refused saying that ceasefire was not possible unless all hostages are freed.
Fighting around hospitals raises concerns
Hospitals in Gaza, already battling shortage of medicines and other resources are facing fresh challenge as fighting is taking place around them. Israel has alleged that Hamas has placed its fighters around hospitals and has warned that if Hamas uses hospitals to stage attacks on Israeli troops, Israel would eliminate these Hamas fighters.
There are reports of fighting raging around number of hospitals in the enclave including the Al-Shifa hospital.
World Health Organization chief has told United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that health system in Gaza is ‘on its knees’
“Hospital corridors crammed with the injured, the sick, the dying; morgues overflowing; surgery without anesthesia; tens of thousands of displaced people sheltering at hospitals,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
(With inputs from agencies)
