70,000 Killed, Media Still 'Verifying' Palestinian Ministry Data
The Al-Monitor piece, citing Reuters, relays the Gaza Health Ministry's declaration of over 70,000 killed in the current Israeli offensive. What the 'reputable' press often omits is that this same ministry's figures have consistently been validated by UN agencies and even, at times, reluctantly confirmed by Israeli defense sources. It’s almost as if some civilian deaths are more 'verifiable' than
others (especially if they're not from a U.S.-approved conflict zone). This persistent hand-wringing over Palestinian casualty counts often glosses over the historical context: during the 2014 Gaza War, for instance, initial skepticism of Palestinian figures also gave way to their eventual confirmation by independent bodies and human rights groups. One might wonder if the concern is truly about
accuracy, or if it's about managing audience perception while our elected officials, like President Biden, ensure a steady supply of precision-guided munitions (according to White House press releases).