An article in the print edition of The New York Times with the headline “Gaza Deaths Surpass Any Arab War Losses in 40 Years” has sparked controversy for its portrayal of the recent Gaza-Israel conflict. This headline suggests that the estimated 20,000 deaths in Gaza have exceeded casualties in any Arab conflict over the past four decades. However, this claim overlooks the Syrian conflict from 2011 to 2021, which is believed to have resulted in over 306,000 civilian deaths. The digital version of The Times presents a more specific headline, reading “Gaza Deaths Surpass Any Arab Loss in Wars With Israel in Past 40 Years,” and was published a day earlier. This headline more accurately reflects the context of the Gaza-Israel conflict. Aviva Klompas, former head of speechwriting for Israel’s Permanent Mission to the U.N., criticized the print headline on social media. Klompas accused The Times of fabricating information, pointing out that a brief online search reveals data contradicting the print headline. She referenced a June 2022 report from the U.N. Human Rights Office, which estimates that the decade-long Syrian conflict resulted in over 306,000 civilian casualties, significantly higher than the Gaza conflict figures. The report represents the most comprehensive estimate of conflict-related civilian deaths in Syria to date. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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