DaysofPal – The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights has indicated that the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip may exceed 200,000, citing demographic data showing that the territory’s population has declined by more than 10 percent since October 2023 due to sustained military operations and extensive destruction.
Stuart Casey-Maslen, head of the academy’s project on international humanitarian law, said such a population decrease could indicate the loss of roughly 200,000 people. He stressed that the casualty figures widely reported do not reflect the full scale of human losses.
His remarks accompanied the release of the War Watch armed conflict monitor, which reviews developments in Gaza alongside 23 other conflicts worldwide over the past eighteen months.
Casey-Maslen described conditions in Gaza as extremely grave. He welcomed the absence of a return to the intense fighting that preceded last year’s ceasefire but cautioned that Palestinian suffering has not ended. He said residents continue to face alarming circumstances, particularly the wounded, who require safe evacuation and proper medical treatment. “People are still dying in Gaza,” he stated.
He emphasized the urgent need to expand humanitarian assistance, including food and water supplies, shelter, protection from harsh weather, and access to medical care.
Although there is broad agreement that more than 70,000 civilians have been killed since October 2023, Casey-Maslen said this figure accounts only for bodies that have been recovered. Many more victims are believed to remain under the rubble. He referred to data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicating that Gaza’s population has fallen by over 10 percent. If confirmed, this decline would suggest that the actual death toll is far higher than current official figures and could surpass 200,000.
“We will need time to determine the precise number,” he said. “What is clear is that we are facing an immense human loss, and there must be clarity about how these people were killed.”
He also addressed the early stages of reconstruction efforts, describing the scale of destruction in Gaza as exceptional. Restoring the territory to conditions similar to those that existed before October 2023 will require years of sustained work and billions of dollars in investment.
Casey-Maslen pointed to findings by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which concluded in a report issued last September that genocide had taken place in Gaza, though it did not specify a timeline.
The academy’s report covers developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, along with 23 other conflict zones, during the period from July 1, 2024, through the end of December 2025.
He expressed hope that accountability would follow the events of the past two years, stating that they should be viewed with sorrow and regret. He also criticized sanctions imposed on judges of the International Criminal Court following the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli officials, arguing that judicial processes should be supported rather than penalized.
The United States announced sanctions in August and December 2025 against several ICC judges, alleging involvement in politicized actions targeting Israel. In November 2024, the court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.
Military operations continue in the Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025. Humanitarian organizations warn of worsening conditions driven by acute shortages of food, water, shelter, and medical services.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that the death toll since October 8, 2023, has reached 72,045, with 171,686 people injured. Hospitals received eight additional fatalities in the past 24 hours, including three bodies recovered from beneath the rubble, along with 20 wounded individuals.
The ministry added that 591 people have been killed and 1,578 injured in reported violations of the ceasefire. A number of victims remain trapped under debris or lying in the streets, while ambulance and civil defense teams face significant obstacles in reaching them.
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