Hamas claims Israel’s war in Gaza killed 12,300 children

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry on Monday clarified the number of children it claims have died in Israel’s war on Hamas. It also claimed roughly 8,400 women were among the dead, as well. The ministry has historically not distinguished between civilian and combatant casualties. It has placed the death toll for Palestinians at more than 28,000 people, since the Israeli military began waging war in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. That attack killed roughly 1,200 people.

Are these numbers believable? Israel denies intentionally attacking civilian targets and says it has avoided civilian casualties as much as possible throughout the war. The IDF has reportedly sent text messages and phone calls to civilians living in buildings it seeks to target, urging them to evacuate. The Jewish Institute for National Security of America has documented a list of methods it says the IDF has used to avoid civilian casualties, including canceling airstrikes due to the potential for a high amount of civilian casualties. The IDF has also compiled a similar list on its website.

Who does the international community believe? A Dutch court on Monday ordered its government to halt the shipment of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, citing what it called a “clear risk” that the parts could be used in human rights violations. The International Court of Justice has also issued a preliminary ruling on genocide charges that South Africa brought against Israel. In that ruling, the United Nations’ highest court ordered Israel to limit civilian casualties as much as possible.

Dig deeper: Listen to Jill Nelson’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about neighbors at war in the West Bank.