Study Reveals ‘israel’s Conflict in Gaza Results in Loss of Over 3 Million Years of Human Life
A recent study indicates that over three million years of human life have been lost in the Gaza Strip following the onset of the Israeli military operation against the besieged coastal area in October 2023.
The Lancet medical journal has released a study indicating that the 60,199 Palestinian fatalities recorded between October 7, 2023, and July 31, 2025, correspond to an average loss of 51 years of life per individual.
Researchers Sammy Zahran from Colorado State University and Ghassan Abu-Sittah from the American University of Beirut have reported a significant impact on civilian life-years lost, according to their study. The findings reveal that over one million life-years involving children under the age of 15 have been lost.
The concept of “life-years lost” quantifies the aggregate number of years of potential life that the Palestinians, who were killed, would have lived if their lives had not been cut short.
Researchers have reported that their calculations focus solely on direct fatalities resulting from Israeli attacks, omitting casualties linked to ruined infrastructure, starvation, dehydration, disease, and the deterioration of Gaza’s healthcare system.
A study indicates that researchers evaluated the potential life-years lost in Gaza by calculating life expectancies in the State of Palestine. This was done using period-based abridged life table methods, considering data segmented by age and sex. The analysis utilized 2022 mortality and population data obtained from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The report indicated that there was a loss of approximately 1,075,984 to 1,130,142 life-years for females and 1,938,762 to 2,075,906 life-years for males.
An earlier study published in The Lancet indicated that the official death toll in Gaza had been significantly underestimated, suggesting that the actual number of fatalities was at least 40 percent higher than reported. This discrepancy was attributed to the systematic destruction of healthcare infrastructure and the impaired capacity for accurate record-keeping in the region.
A medical journal has reported that if indirect fatalities are considered—those resulting from compromised healthcare systems, famine, and disease—the estimated number of Palestinian deaths could span from 149,000 to 598,000.
A recent report published by The Lancet has been released shortly following the implementation of a ceasefire in Gaza on October 10.
The Gaza Government Media Office has issued a condemnation of Israel, accusing it of breaching the ceasefire over 125 times since the agreement was implemented. The office warned that ongoing hostilities could potentially escalate into a full-scale conflict.
Israel has persisted in launching strikes and imposing strict limitations on aid, breaching the ceasefire agreement and leading to additional casualties among the Gazan population.
According to a source from Nasser Medical Complex, three Palestinians lost their lives on Monday due to Israeli fire in the northern area of Rafah, located in southern Gaza.
In Gaza City, an Israeli attack on the eastern side of the city resulted in injuries to three individuals, including a child.
The Gaza Health Ministry announced on Monday that an estimated 68,865 Palestinians have perished in Gaza over the last two years. Furthermore, numerous individuals are presumed missing, potentially ensnared beneath rubble or within regions rendered unreachable for rescue operations owing to widespread devastation and persistent threats.
