Latest news with #Garb
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
FACT FOCUS: Posts misrepresent report to falsely claim nearly 400,000 Palestinians are missing
As the number of Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war continues to rise, social media users are falsely claiming that a Harvard University study has determined that hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip are also missing. 'Israel has 'disappeared' nearly 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 2023,' reads one X post that had been shared and liked more than 35,700 times as of Thursday. 'Harvard has now confirmed what we've been screaming into a deaf world: This is a holocaust — and it's still happening.' But Harvard did not publish the report in question. Moreover, these claims misrepresent data from the report that was intended to address an entirely unrelated topic. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A Harvard University study found that nearly 400,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are missing as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. THE FACTS: Harvard published no such study. This estimate misrepresents a map included in a report by a professor at Israel's Ben Gurion University that shows the distance between new aid distribution compounds in Gaza and three main populations centers. Using spatial analysis, the report determined that these compounds are inadequate and also does not address how many people in Gaza are missing. It was published on the Harvard Dataverse, a repository managed by the university where researchers can share their work. Contributors do not need to be affiliated with Harvard and publish directly to the repository without approval from the university. 'If anyone had asked me about these numbers I would have set things straight right away,' said the Yaakov Garb, a professor of environmental studies who authored the report. 'Instead the number was circulated and recirculated by people who had not read the report or stopped to think about it for a moment.' The inaccurate estimate comes from a post on the blogging site Medium. In the post, the author uses a map from Garb's report showing how many people live in what are currently Gaza's three main population centers — Gaza City, central refugee camps and the Muwasi area — according to estimates from the Israeli Defense Forces, to determine how many Palestinians are allegedly unaccounted for. The author subtracts the former number — 1.85 million — from the population in Gaza before the Israel-Hamas war began — 2.227 million — for a total of 377,00 missing people. But the numbers on the map are not comprehensive. 'These IDF numbers were not intended to sum to 100% of the Gaza population,' Garb said. 'There may be Gazans in other locations outside these areas of concentration.' Many Palestinians also have left Gaza since the war began in October 2023, a fact the Medium post does not take into account. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said in January that about 100,000 had left. According to Garb, the map was meant to show how difficult it would be for people in these areas to reach new aid distribution compounds. He also noted that it had a typo, which he intends to fix. There are approximately 700,000 people in the Muwasi area, not 500,000. The author of the Medium post did not respond to a request for comment. Other estimates have put the number of missing people, typically defined as those who are dead under the rubble of Gaza, much lower than what the Medium post alleges. A June 2024 study published in The Lancet, for example, found that between about 15,000 to 38,000 people could have been missing at that time. 'Clearly time has passed, and more have died and been buried under rubble. But it is unlikely that numbers of people buried under rubble could increase to 400,000 since then,' said Shelly Culbertson, a senior policy researcher at RAND who studies disaster and post-conflict recovery. She added that even if missing people included those who had completely lost communication with their families, it is unlikely that the number would reach 400,000. Garb lamented the negative impact this type of misinformation could have for Palestinians and those trying to help them. 'If somebody like me who's doing serious work thinks twice next time about, oh my god, do I even want to put out something about Gaza if I have to sully myself with this stuff, they've done a disservice — done a disservice to the Palestinian cause, which they are ostensibly trying to further. I mean, they need to realize that,' he said. ___ Find AP Fact Checks here:
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
FACT FOCUS: Posts misrepresent report to falsely claim nearly 400,000 Palestinians are missing
As the number of Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war continues to rise, social media users are falsely claiming that a Harvard University study has determined that hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip are also missing. 'Israel has 'disappeared' nearly 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 2023,' reads one X post that had been shared and liked more than 35,700 times as of Thursday. 'Harvard has now confirmed what we've been screaming into a deaf world: This is a holocaust — and it's still happening.' But Harvard did not publish the report in question. Moreover, these claims misrepresent data from the report that was intended to address an entirely unrelated topic. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A Harvard University study found that nearly 400,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are missing as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. THE FACTS: Harvard published no such study. This estimate misrepresents a map included in a report by a professor at Israel's Ben Gurion University that shows the distance between new aid distribution compounds in Gaza and three main populations centers. Using spatial analysis, the report determined that these compounds are inadequate and also does not address how many people in Gaza are missing. It was published on the Harvard Dataverse , a repository managed by the university where researchers can share their work. Contributors do not need to be affiliated with Harvard and publish directly to the repository without approval from the university. 'If anyone had asked me about these numbers I would have set things straight right away,' said the Yaakov Garb, a professor of environmental studies who authored the report. 'Instead the number was circulated and recirculated by people who had not read the report or stopped to think about it for a moment.' The inaccurate estimate comes from a post on the blogging site Medium. In the post, the author uses a map from Garb's report showing how many people live in what are currently Gaza's three main population centers — Gaza City, central refugee camps and the Muwasi area — according to estimates from the Israeli Defense Forces, to determine how many Palestinians are allegedly unaccounted for. The author subtracts the former number — 1.85 million — from the population in Gaza before the Israel-Hamas war began — 2.227 million — for a total of 377,00 missing people. But the numbers on the map are not comprehensive. 'These IDF numbers were not intended to sum to 100% of the Gaza population,' Garb said. 'There may be Gazans in other locations outside these areas of concentration.' Many Palestinians also have left Gaza since the war began in October 2023, a fact the Medium post does not take into account. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said in January that about 100,000 had left. According to Garb, the map was meant to show how difficult it would be for people in these areas to reach new aid distribution compounds. He also noted that it had a typo, which he intends to fix. There are approximately 700,000 people in the Muwasi area, not 500,000. The author of the Medium post did not respond to a request for comment. Other estimates have put the number of missing people, typically defined as those who are dead under the rubble of Gaza, much lower than what the Medium post alleges. A June 2024 study published in The Lancet , for example, found that between about 15,000 to 38,000 people could have been missing at that time. 'Clearly time has passed, and more have died and been buried under rubble. But it is unlikely that numbers of people buried under rubble could increase to 400,000 since then,' said Shelly Culbertson, a senior policy researcher at RAND who studies disaster and post-conflict recovery. She added that even if missing people included those who had completely lost communication with their families, it is unlikely that the number would reach 400,000. Garb lamented the negative impact this type of misinformation could have for Palestinians and those trying to help them. 'If somebody like me who's doing serious work thinks twice next time about, oh my god, do I even want to put out something about Gaza if I have to sully myself with this stuff, they've done a disservice — done a disservice to the Palestinian cause, which they are ostensibly trying to further. I mean, they need to realize that,' he said. ___ Find AP Fact Checks here: . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
FACT FOCUS: Posts misrepresent report to falsely claim nearly 400,000 Palestinians are missing
As the number of Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war continues to rise, social media users are falsely claiming that a Harvard University study has determined that hundreds of thousands in the Gaza Strip are also missing. 'Israel has 'disappeared' nearly 400,000 Palestinians in Gaza since 2023,' reads one X post that had been shared and liked more than 35,700 times as of Thursday. 'Harvard has now confirmed what we've been screaming into a deaf world: This is a holocaust — and it's still happening.' Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A Harvard University study found that nearly 400,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are missing as a result of the Israel-Hamas war. THE FACTS: Harvard published no such study. This estimate misrepresents a map included in a report by a professor at Israel's Ben Gurion University that shows the distance between new aid distribution compounds in Gaza and three main populations centers. Using spatial analysis, the report determined that these compounds are inadequate and also does not address how many people in Gaza are missing. It was published on the Harvard Dataverse, a repository managed by the university where researchers can share their work. Contributors do not need to be affiliated with Harvard and publish directly to the repository without approval from the university. 'If anyone had asked me about these numbers I would have set things straight right away,' said the Yaakov Garb, a professor of environmental studies who authored the report. 'Instead the number was circulated and recirculated by people who had not read the report or stopped to think about it for a moment.' The inaccurate estimate comes from a post on the blogging site Medium. In the post, the author uses a map from Garb's report showing how many people live in what are currently Gaza's three main population centers — Gaza City, central refugee camps and the Muwasi area — according to estimates from the Israeli Defense Forces, to determine how many Palestinians are allegedly unaccounted for. The author subtracts the former number — 1.85 million — from the population in Gaza before the Israel-Hamas war began — 2.227 million — for a total of 377,00 missing people. But the numbers on the map are not comprehensive. 'These IDF numbers were not intended to sum to 100% of the Gaza population,' Garb said. 'There may be Gazans in other locations outside these areas of concentration.' Many Palestinians also have left Gaza since the war began in October 2023, a fact the Medium post does not take into account. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said in January that about 100,000 had left. According to Garb, the map was meant to show how difficult it would be for people in these areas to reach new aid distribution compounds. He also noted that it had a typo, which he intends to fix. There are approximately 700,000 people in the Muwasi area, not 500,000. Other estimates have put the number of missing people, typically defined as those who are dead under the rubble of Gaza, much lower than what the Medium post alleges. A June 2024 study published in The Lancet, for example, found that between about 15,000 to 38,000 people could have been missing at that time. 'Clearly time has passed, and more have died and been buried under rubble. But it is unlikely that numbers of people buried under rubble could increase to 400,000 since then," said Shelly Culbertson, a senior policy researcher at RAND who studies disaster and post-conflict recovery. She added that even if missing people included those who had completely lost communication with their families, it is unlikely that the number would reach 400,000. Garb lamented the negative impact this type of misinformation could have for Palestinians and those trying to help them. 'If somebody like me who's doing serious work thinks twice next time about, oh my god, do I even want to put out something about Gaza if I have to sully myself with this stuff, they've done a disservice — done a disservice to the Palestinian cause, which they are ostensibly trying to further. I mean, they need to realize that," he said.
Days of Palestine
6 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Harvard Report Reveals 377,000 Missing in Gaza, Half Believed to Be Children
DayofPal– A new report published in the Harvard Dataverse has revealed that approximately 377,000 people are missing in Gaza since October 2023, with nearly half of them believed to be children. The findings suggest that the real death toll in the enclave may be significantly higher than the current official estimate of 56,000. The report, authored by Israeli environmental and policy researcher Professor Yaakov Garb, uses spatial mapping and data-driven analysis to examine the human impact of Israeli military operations and an ongoing blockade on aid. Garb argues that the population loss in Gaza points to a humanitarian catastrophe of far greater scale than publicly acknowledged. According to Garb's research, Gaza's pre-war population was estimated at 2.227 million. Today, however, only about 1.85 million people remain: roughly one million in Gaza City, 500,000 in the southern al-Mawasi 'safe zone', and 350,000 in central Gaza. The 377,000-person discrepancy remains unaccounted for, raising grave questions about the true number of fatalities and the fate of many displaced individuals. 'While some may be displaced or missing,' the report notes, 'the scale of the gap has led analysts to conclude that a significant number are likely dead,' indicating that the real number of casualties may be 'many times higher' than officially reported. The report also delivers a scathing assessment of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), whose aid distribution model is portrayed as dangerously inadequate and strategically problematic. Garb contends that the GHF's structure and operations have been shaped more by Israeli military objectives than by humanitarian imperatives. Using location data and spatial analysis, the report demonstrates that most of Gaza's population could not reach GHF aid compounds due to severe infrastructure damage, limited transport, and the absence of secure access routes. Garb writes that the design of these compounds 'seems likely to be an engine for continuous friction and mishap,' emphasizing that the logistics of aid distribution forced civilians to make 'repeated, dangerous crossings into militarized zones.' In a particularly concerning detail, the report points out that four of the five GHF aid compounds lie south of the Morag corridor, a location Israeli officials have previously identified as the intended destination for Palestinian displacement ahead of intensified military action. 'The fact that four of the five compounds lie south of the Morag corridor, repeatedly indicated by Israeli officials as the intended destination for concentration of Palestinians to be displaced from the remainder of Gaza in an impending intensification of the military attacks, is not reassuring,' the report warns. Furthermore, the report describes scenes of chaos and disorder at aid sites, noting the lack of basic humanitarian infrastructure, including shade, water, sanitation facilities, first aid, and accommodations for the elderly or disabled. With only a single point of entry and exit, no crowd management, and minimal safety protocols, the compounds were prone to unrest, which, Garb argues, was then used to justify military violence. 'Overall, these aid compounds seem to reflect a logic of control, not assistance,' the report concludes. 'It would be a misnomer to call them 'humanitarian aid distribution hubs'. They do not adhere to humanitarian principles, and much of their design and operation is guided by other objectives, which undermine their declared purpose.' Since GHF operations began on May 17, the Palestinian Health Ministry reports at least 450 deaths and 3,500 injuries resulting from Israeli attacks near or on the way to aid distribution sites. Shortlink for this post:
Roya News
25-06-2025
- General
- Roya News
'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.
