"Study: Gaza civilian wounds mirror battlefield soldier injuries"

Civilians in Gaza Suffer Combat-Level Injuries, Study Finds

A new study has revealed that civilians in Gaza are sustaining injuries typically seen among soldiers engaged in intense warfare. The research, published in the *British Medical Journal (BMJ)*, found that certain wounds—such as severe burns and leg injuries—occurred more frequently among Gaza's civilian population than among U.S. troops during recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The injured in Gaza are suffering wounds consistent with high-intensity combat between professional militaries. The severity and distribution of these injuries are comparable or even worse," said Dr. Bilal Irfan, a bioethicist at the University of Michigan and a co-author of the study.

This peer-reviewed research, the first of its kind, analyzed data collected between August 2024 and February 2025 from dozens of international medical professionals who had worked in Gaza during the ongoing conflict.

However, the data primarily covered those who survived long enough to reach hospitals. "These findings do not reflect the full extent of fatalities, as many died before receiving medical care," Irfan noted.

The conflict began after Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages—about 50 of whom remain in Gaza, with an estimated 20 still alive.

Israel's military response has resulted in over 65,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilians, and more than 160,000 injuries. Large areas have been destroyed, and most of the population has been displaced, often multiple times.

The study examined nearly 24,000 trauma-related injuries, 18% of which were burns. Approximately two-thirds of the injuries resulted from explosions. Burns were especially severe, with more than 10% classified as fourth-degree—penetrating all tissue layers down to the bone. Many of the worst cases involved children.

The report attributes these injuries to "indiscriminate aerial bombardment and heavy explosives in civilian areas."

Firearm-related injuries accounted for 30% of trauma cases, a rate similar to that seen during Syria’s civil war. Nearly 10% of gunshot wounds were to the head.

Data for the study was provided by 78 medical experts from 22 organizations across the U.S., Canada, Britain, and the EU. These specialists shared their observations within months of working in Gaza. The findings were then compared with studies of U.S. combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dr. Victoria Rose, a plastic surgeon at St Thomas' Hospital and King's College London, was among the contributors to the research.