The monitoring group Airwars has revealed that Israeli forces killed at least 5,139 civilians during the first 25 days of their bombing campaign in Gaza starting October 7, 2023.
In a report released Thursday, Airwars analyzed 606 incidents and documented that 1,213 women and 1,900 children were among the dead, primarily killed in residential areas. “Families were killed together in unprecedented numbers, and in their homes,” the report stated. “More than nine out of ten women and children were killed in residential buildings.”
Airwars emphasized that its findings reflect conservative estimates, with the civilian death toll potentially much higher. The report also highlighted the stark ratio of civilian to combatant deaths, ranging between 85:1 and 160:1.
This aligns with reports from Israeli publication 972 Magazine, which detailed deliberate bombing of civilian targets by Israeli forces, intended to pressure Hamas by targeting civil society.
Investigations into the strikes and civilian harm continue.