The British medical journal The Lancet published an article on July 5 that estimates the actual death toll of Israel’s US-backed military campaign in Gaza could be over 186,000 even if there were a ceasefire today.
The article, written by a group of experts, takes into account indirect deaths that have already taken place and will continue to happen to form its estimate.
“Armed conflicts have indirect health implications beyond the direct harm from violence. Even if the conflict ends immediately, there will continue to be many indirect deaths in the coming months and years from causes such as reproductive, communicable, and non-communicable diseases,” the article reads.