For first time Israeli military officials acknowledge Gaza death toll exceeds 71,000 since October 2
Deir Al-Balah: After more than two years of war in Gaza, senior officials of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have, for the first time, acknowledged that over 71,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, aligning with figures long reported by Gaza’s health authorities.
Israeli military sources told newspapers Haaretz and The Times of Israel that the overall death toll cited by the Gaza Health Ministry was broadly accurate, though they said the army has been unable to determine how many of those killed were combatants and how many were civilians who died as a direct result of hostilities. This marks a notable shift from earlier Israeli statements that repeatedly questioned the credibility of Gaza’s casualty data, describing it as unreliable or misleading.
The officials also said the figure does not account for Palestinians who remain missing and are feared buried under rubble, nor those who may have died due to starvation and lack of medical care amid the prolonged siege. In earlier assessments, the IDF had claimed that civilian deaths numbered two to three for every militant killed.
Following the publication of these reports, an Israeli military spokesperson sought to distance the institution from the disclosures, stating that the information published did not reflect official IDF data and that any authoritative figures would be released only through formal channels.
International agencies, including the United Nations, have consistently relied on Gaza Health Ministry data, describing its casualty recording system as credible despite the conditions of war. According to the ministry, at least 71,667 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military offensive began in 2023. Several independent studies and humanitarian groups have suggested that the true toll could be estimated well beyond 100,000.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Assam Police at Pawan Khera's residence in national capital, Delhi Police assisting
New Delhi (PTI): An Assam Police team on Tuesday is at the Delhi residence of Congress leader Pawan Khera for questioning in connection with a case linked to allegations made against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family, official sources said.
The team formally informed Delhi Police upon arrival, following which a local police team joined and is assisting in the proceedings, the source said.
The development comes amid a political tussle after Sarma alleged that the Congress used "false information" sourced from a Pakistani social media group to level charges against his wife regarding multiple passports and overseas assets. He termed the allegations an attempt to influence the Assam elections and a punishable offence.
Khera had recently sought clarifications on Sarma's wife's alleged foreign assets, prompting a complaint and subsequent police action.
