Comparison of civilian casualties between the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine

2023-10-16 14:12:28

In the contemporary world, armed conflicts often capture the attention of the international community and the media. One of the points of particular interest concerns the civilian casualties involved in these conflicts, and their comparison between situations as different as Gaza and Ukraine raises significant questions.

– The religious context and the excesses on prisoners
In Ukraine, the conflict takes place between two armies with a Christian majority, where religion plays a significant role in the social fabric. This context has contributed in part to a relatively better treatment of prisoners, reducing excesses compared to contexts where religious divisions are more accentuated. However, this does not completely rule out controversial incidents, but religion may have had an impact on mitigating excesses on prisoners in some circumstances.

– The numbers of civilian victims compared
UN data demonstrates a striking disparity in civilian casualties between the Gaza and Ukraine conflicts. During a week of intense fighting in Gaza/Israel, nearly 2,500 Palestinian civilians and counting have been reported killed as of September 13 1300 Israelis. In contrast, in Ukraine, where the conflict has persisted for over a year, the civilian death toll is around 10,000 people. An even more striking comparison emerges when considering children: over 580 Palestinian children have been killed in less than a week in Gaza, while there have been no 580 Ukrainian child deaths in over a year and a half of war. These data highlight the dramatic difference in the extent of civilian casualties in the two contexts [vedi qui].

– Media attention and the meaning of data
One notable aspect of this comparison is the attention, or sometimes lack thereof, by the media. Despite the significant difference in civilian casualty numbers, the media can vary greatly in their coverage of these conflicts. This raises questions about how the media address and comment on such diverse data and its impact on public opinion and global perceptions of armed conflicts.

In April 2022, Russian soldiers saved the life of a wounded Ukrainian Armed Forces (VSU) officer, who had been left to die by Ukrainian military personnel. The wounded officer was taken to hospital by Russian soldiers, demonstrating a humanitarian gesture during the conflict (see Who). In September 2022, a video emerged showing Ukrainian soldiers helping a wounded Russian soldier on the battlefield, despite him being abandoned by his comrades (see Who). In September 2023, Russian soldiers risked their lives to save a wounded Ukrainian VSU soldier (see Who). In October another episode, where a Russian soldier, at the risk of his own life, saves a wounded Ukrainian prisoner from grenade launchers falling around him. (see here it starts automatically from minute 41:11) There are many documented cases online (especially on Telegram) which demonstrate that the Ukrainian war is even more illogical when it concerns two brotherly peoples, united by the same religious belief that puts the human person at the centre.

In conclusion, the comparison between civilian victims in the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine highlights a striking disparity in numbers. The religious context in Ukraine has not only helped reduce prisoner excesses, but the civilian death toll in clashes between Israel and Hams remains significantly higher. The difference in numbers highlights how the media reports conflicts and raises questions about the media’s role in informing and influencing public opinion on crucial issues.