Subject: 41% More Palestinian Deaths in Gaza Than Reported / Ceasefire and Sanctions: Deaths Underreported by 41% in Gaza / 77,976 Direct Deaths in Gaza Projected from Updated Data / Peer-reviewed Study Confirms Genocidal Scale of Gaza Deaths / The Hidden Toll: Gaza Deaths Severely Under-Reported
Dear [Elected Official’s Name],
I am writing to call on you to take immediate action in response to Israel’s assault on Palestinians in Gaza. A new peer-reviewed study concludes that deaths from traumatic injuries sustained in Israel’s assault on Gaza are 41% higher than those previously reported, at a staggering 64,260 deaths in the first 9 months alone. The report notes the number could have been as high as 78,525 by June 30th 2024. Nearly 60% of deaths were women, children, and the elderly.
Using updated death tolls, this under-reporting rate suggests the number of traumatic injury-related deaths to be approximately 77,976 today. Importantly, these figures exclude thousands of individuals still missing under rubble and those who have died from indirect causes such as starvation, dehydration, and lack of medical care.
Another previous study in July 2024 combining direct and indirect causes warned that even if Israel’s assault and blockade ended then, a conservatively estimated 186,000 Palestinians would still die overall in subsequent months as a result. With today’s numbers, this conservative projection would be 311,904.
By October 2024, U.S. healthcare workers in Gaza conservatively estimated 118,908 Palestinians had already been killed by Israel—5.4% of Gaza’s population—underscoring the catastrophic human toll.
The magnitude of death and suffering in Gaza is undeniable. This is a genocide targeting an entire population, with women, children, and the elderly disproportionately bearing the brunt. This demands immediate and decisive action to stop the atrocities and hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law.
While we all hope for a ceasefire, the reality is that it is not enough. We must suspend all relations with Israel. An arms embargo, a two-way trade embargo, and an end to all diplomatic relations with the state on trial for genocide and whose leaders are wanted war criminals at the ICC is the bare minimum. Sanctions have proven effective in halting egregious human rights abuses in other contexts; they must be applied here.
This is not a radical position, it is enforcing basic human rights and upholding international law.
Your constituent,
[Full Name]
[Full Address]
