Senior Israeli military officials confirmed monday that two civilians were killed for every Hamas militant killed in the Gaza Strip, and that the army was employing high-tech mapping tools to attempt to limit non-combatant casualties. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, Israel's military assault in response to Hamas strikes on october 7 has killed about 15,900 individuals, the majority of whom are women and children.

When asked about media allegations of 5,000 Hamas fighters dead, one of the top officers informed reporters at a press conference: "The numbers are more or less correct."

"I'm not saying it's not bad that we have a two-to-one ratio," one of the officials said, adding that using human shields was part of Hamas' "core strategy."

"Hopefully (the ratio) will be much lower" in the future phase of the fight, they continued under the condition of anonymity.

The growing death toll and humanitarian situation in Gaza have outraged many around the globe.

Israel began bombing targets in the Gaza Strip, in addition to a land invasion, to destroy Hamas after its forces carried out the bloodiest attack on Israeli soil in Israeli history on october 7. According to Israeli sources, Hamas terrorists murdered around 1,200 individuals and abducted approximately 240 others.

‘Consequences of war’

The US, a key ally, has warned israel to do more to prevent civilian fatalities as operations turn to the south, where many Gazans are seeking safety after fleeing the destroyed north.

The army is employing high-tech mapping software to track population movements within the Gaza Strip and issue evacuation orders, according to authorities.

The system uses mobile phones and other signals, aerial surveillance, and word from local sources, as well as artificial intelligence, to keep a continually updated map of population densities across the region.


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