A recent investigation by the Israeli Haaretz newspaper has depicted the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza as one of the "bloodiest" in the 21st century.

The report states that tens of thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives, many in areas previously marked as “safe” by the Israeli military.

The newspaper also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for accusing the international community of hypocrisy regarding the war on Gaza, while claiming it overlooks other global conflicts and humanitarian crises. For instance, in January, Netanyahu questioned, “Where was South Africa when millions were killed or expelled from their homes in Syria and Yemen?”

“But a cold examination of the numbers killed in the Gaza Strip reveals this is one of the bloodiest wars since the beginning of the century, especially if you examine the rate of mortality out of the total population,” the report stressed.

Haaretz highlighted that the war on Gaza has led to an exceptionally high death toll, with around 40,000 Palestinians killed since the war began on October 7 of last year. This number represents roughly 2% of Gaza's population of two million.

'Israel' killed civilians in designated 'safe' areas

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Despite the Israeli army designating certain areas in Gaza as "safe zones", Haaretz reported that many residents have been displaced to these areas only to face continued danger.

The Israeli forces have frequently targeted these supposed "safe zones" where displaced civilians had gathered, resulting in hundreds of deaths, including women and children.

The report also noted that international organizations and media outlets have consistently corroborated the casualty figures provided by Gaza's Ministry of Health. As of Wednesday, the ministry reported nearly 40,000 Palestinian killings, over 92,000 injuries, and more than 10,000 people still missing under the rubble. Haaretz compared the Gaza war to other major humanitarian disasters.

“In the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar, for example, about 25,000 people have been killed, according to the United Nations," the report noted.

“The war in Gaza also stands out in comparison to wars from the 1990s, for example, those that took place in the former state of Yugoslavia. One of these regions was Bosnia, and in the worst year of the conflict, 1991, the average number of deaths per month was 2,097 – and the total number killed over four years there was 63,000,” it added.

Gaza's death rate far exceeds Ukraine's conflict

The Israeli newspaper underscored the alarming death rate in Gaza, averaging approximately 4,000 fatalities per month, which significantly exceeds the monthly death toll in Ukraine's ongoing war.

Haaretz also pointed out that one of the most striking features of the war on Gaza is the absence of safe refuge for civilians. The densely populated 360-square-kilometer (139-square-mile) area provides minimal escape options for non-combatants, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

“The difference that stands out the most between the rest of the wars of the 21st century and the war in the Gaza Strip is the size of the territory where the fighting is taking place, and the inability of the uninvolved civilians to flee the battles – and in particular the percentage of casualties among the overall population,” the newspaper contended.​​​​​​​

Living conditions for displaced civilians in the so-called “humanitarian” zones are dire, marked by overcrowding, disease, and shortages of shelter and medical supplies. Haaretz highlighted the severe impact of the war, noting that 2% of Gaza's population has been killed in less than a year—an unprecedented level of destruction not commonly seen outside of Africa since World War II.