In a devastating revelation, Gaza's Ministry of Health has released a list of Palestinians killed in Israel's recent assault, with the first 14 pages filled with names of innocent babies. The comprehensive document, published on the health ministry's Telegram account, underscores the catastrophic impact of the U.S.-backed Israeli offensive on Gaza's population, particularly its children.

Containing the names and ages of over 34,000 Palestinians - a number experts believe is an undercount - the list offers a somber testimony to the grim reality faced by Gazans since the Hamas-led attack on October 7th last year. Tragically, a third of those killed during this period were children, according to Gaza officials.

Expressing her shock and grief over the news, Heba Gowayed, a sociology professor at Hunter College in New York, described the child casualties as a "genocide of children". On social media, Gowayed voiced her distress at the unimaginable loss, emphasizing the stark reality represented by the 14 pages filled with the names of innocent infants, stating, "This is nothing short of an attempt to expunge a people."

While the current death toll, estimated to be nearly 42,000, is likely higher, the released document reflects the information available to Gaza officials until August 31st. The credibility of the Gaza Health Ministry's statistics is widely acknowledged by independent watchdogs, and such data has been cited internally by U.S. officials, despite President Joe Biden's public doubts about its accuracy.

Earlier attempts to bar the use of the Gaza Ministry of Health's statistics by the U.S. State Department were countered by evidence linking the official data to reports from Palestinian civilians online, as noted by research group Airwars. However, the group also acknowledged the challenges in collecting accurate information due to the decimation of Gaza's health infrastructure during the ongoing conflict.

Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, highlighted the significance of the newly published list, stating that it exposes what sets Gaza apart. Parsi emphasized the unprecedented proportion of child casualties and raised concerns about the arming and support provided to Israel by countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany, referring to it as a "genocide".

As the international community grapples with the harrowing consequences of the Israeli assault on Gaza, the release of this list serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for a sustainable and just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one that safeguards the lives and future of innocent civilians, particularly the most vulnerable - the children.