According to recent figures, a total of approximately 18,500 children have been killed in Gaza since the war began. The Washington Post has now published all their names.
Since the war began in October 2023, over 60,000 Palestinians have been reported dead and more than 145,000 injured. The figures include both civilians and combatants and are considered to be significantly underestimated, according to public health analysts and doctors.
According to them, Israel’s attacks on health and medical infrastructure have made reliable data collection nearly impossible.
Of these, 18,500 are children, according to a name list published by Gaza’s health department in mid-July. The Washington Post has now published the names of all the children who were killed.
“The ministry’s list of names is the only official record of the dead. Children fill page after page”, the newspaper writes.
Infants among the killed
The list includes children of all ages – over 900 of them did not live to see their first birthday. Among them Houriya Amran, Samir Tamraz and Anas Ashour.
Three-year-old Reem Badwan is also on the list, who was killed together with her five-year-old older brother Tariq in November 2023. Images of their grandfather holding her lifeless body, kissing her eyes and calling her “soul of my soul”, have spread around the world.
Cannot be justified
Gaza’s health department is controlled by Hamas and its figures are therefore regularly questioned. But medical personnel work within the department, and in previous conflicts their numbers have often been close to independent assessments.
Other and more independent data is not available – Israel does not allow international experts or foreign journalists to enter.
Israel states that it tries to avoid civilian casualties but that Hamas operations in civilian areas justify attacks on homes, schools, hospitals and refugee camps.
The UN, human rights organizations and several European governments argue, however, that Hamas presence cannot justify the extensive destruction and civilian casualties.
