ISTANBUL

Civilians made up roughly 15 of every 16 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since March, The Guardian reported on Friday.

“About 15 of every 16 Palestinians the Israeli military has killed since its renewed offensive in Gaza began in March have been civilians,” said the the report, citing data by the independent violence-tracking organization ACLED.

The paper noted that the civilian death rate reported by ACLED “is one of the highest recorded during the conflict and will increase international pressure on Israel as its forces advance into Gaza City.”

ACLED’s report also highlighted a marked increase in building demolitions in Gaza since March. “Incidents involving the demolition of buildings in Gaza had increased significantly since the renewal of hostilities in March.”

The organizations noted that “Israel resumed airstrikes on 18 March, launching over 3,500 across the Strip in the approximately six months that followed. These airstrikes have killed over 9,500 people, the majority believed to be civilians.”

The report added that “Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 40 commanders and key operatives in Hamas’s military wing since March.”

ACLED is an independent global organization that collects and analyzes data on armed conflicts worldwide.

Between Aug. 11 and Sept. 13, Israeli forces completely or heavily destroyed more than 3,600 buildings and towers in Gaza City and wiped out around 13,000 tents sheltering displaced people, according to Gaza’s government media office.

Since Israel resumed large-scale operations in Gaza on March 18, the territory’s Health Ministry reported 12,622 Palestinians killed and 54,030 injured, though it did not specify how many deaths occurred in Gaza City itself.

Between the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza City on Aug. 11 and Sept. 17, a total of 3,542 Palestinians were killed across the territory, including 1,984 in Gaza City, with the remainder in southern areas of the enclave, according to Gaza’s government media office.

On Aug. 8, Israel’s government approved a plan proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to gradually reoccupy Gaza, starting with Gaza City, home to about one million Palestinians.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has been carrying out a genocide in Gaza, killing more than 65,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The onslaught has displaced hundreds of thousands and caused famine that has claimed the lives of at least 435, including 147 children.