Disbelief Over Palestinian Death Toll

 

The list of Palestinians killed in the war in Gaza stretches for more than 150 pages, at times featuring dozens of people with the same last name: Entire families have been wiped out by Israeli air attacks. 

 

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza released the list on Thursday, documenting the deaths of more than 7,000 Palestinians, including nearly 3,000 children, since the "war" began on October 07. 

 

Each name is paired with a government identification number – a step meant to indicate transparency. 

 

But less than 24 hours earlier, US President Joe Biden (left) expressed his disbelief, casting doubt over the figures – and saying that he has “no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using”. 

 

For Palestinian rights advocates, the US president’s comments are another episode in his administration’s push to “dehumanise” Palestinians and dismiss their suffering, as Washington continues to support Israel’s bombing campaign. 

 

Moreover, critics were quick to point out that human rights experts, including at the United Nations, have long found the Palestinian Health Ministry’s data to be reliable. 

 

Palestinian American activist Zeina Ashrawi Hutchison (right) said Biden’s remarks seem to question Palestinians’ humanity “even in death”. She told Al Jazeera: “The president’s statements are outrageous, irresponsible and flat-out racist and anti-Palestinian”. 

 

As if the world doesn't know! What's important to Israel and its accomplice, the United States, is war and death!