'Israel' disappeared 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza, half of them children

A new study published through the Harvard Dataverse reveals that nearly 400,000 Palestinians have been “disappeared” in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, with children accounting for roughly half of that number.

The report, authored by 'Israeli' professor Yaakov Garb of Ben Gurion University, uses data-driven analysis and spatial mapping to examine the sharp decline in Gaza’s population amid 'Israel’s' ongoing military campaign. It estimates that at least 377,000 Palestinians are unaccounted for, representing around 17 percent of the strip's population before the war.

Gaza’s population has dropped from approximately 2.23 million before October 7 to around 1.85 million today. While some are classified as displaced or missing, the report states that a significant portion are believed to have been killed.

Professor Garb notes that the officially reported death toll of around 61,000 is a clear underestimate, as many victims remain trapped beneath rubble and have not been identified or recovered.

The study also criticizes the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed aid mechanism launched in May, accusing it of undermining humanitarian principles.

“These aid compounds seem to reflect a logic of control, not assistance,” Garb wrote, calling it misleading to label them as humanitarian hubs. “Much of their design and operation is guided by other objectives, which undermine their declared purpose.”

The United Nations has previously raised concerns that the GHF is contributing to the forced displacement of Palestinians. Since its inception, 'Israeli' forces have killed hundreds of Palestinians at or near aid distribution points operated under the GHF model.