Harvard study incorrectly claims 400,000 Palestinians are missing
- Social media claims suggest nearly 400,000 Palestinians are missing due to the Israel-Hamas war.
- The figure misrepresents a map from a report by a professor at Ben Gurion University, which does not address missing persons.
- Experts indicate that the actual number of missing people is likely much lower, possibly between 15,000 to 38,000.
In the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which escalated in October 2023, social media has been rife with misinformation concerning the number of Palestinians purportedly missing. A claim emerged suggesting that a study from Harvard University reported nearly 400,000 missing persons in the Gaza Strip. However, this assertion is inaccurate. The figure originates not from Harvard, but from misinterpretations of a report by Yaakov Garb, a professor at Israel’s Ben Gurion University. The misrepresentation stemmed from a map included in Garb’s report, which illustrated the inadequate distribution of aid relative to the population centers in Gaza. It was never meant to indicate how many people were missing; rather, it focused on the challenges faced by residents trying to access aid. Garb emphasized that the numbers used in the Medium post did not account for individuals living outside the aforementioned population centers of Gaza City, central refugee camps, and the Muwasi area. Many discussions around the missing individuals fail to recognize that some may have left Gaza since the conflict began or are otherwise unaccounted for. Additionally, a study published in June 2024 in The Lancet suggests that the number of people defined as missing—often those who may have died under rubble—ranges between 15,000 to 38,000, a far cry from the exaggerated claim circulating on social media. Experts, such as Shelly Culbertson from RAND, express skepticism that the numbers could approach 400,000, suggesting that even considering those who have lost communication with families, the figure remains highly unlikely. This situation exemplifies how misinformation can proliferate when individuals share unverified statistics without proper context. The skewed perception of missing Palestinians underscores the need for responsible sharing of information and the imperative for individuals to critically evaluate claims before dissemination. Not only does this issue complicate the understanding of humanitarian crises, but it also may hinder legitimate efforts for aid and recovery in the region.