Most were prepared by the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and then circulated to a broad group of department officials working on issues related to Israel-Palestine. Situation reports such as these represent U.S. assessments from the ground that are intended to inform policy discussions and decision-making in Washington. Most organizations and analysts tracking Gaza do treat the ministry as a reliable source, however, including the United Nations. The State Department has also publicly cited the ministry’s figures, for example in a report published earlier this year on the human rights situation in Israel-Palestine. MAHMUD HAMS via Getty ImagesMost of the State Department reports seen by HuffPost cite the ministry as the source of information for casualties in Gaza.

Source: Huffington Post October 26, 2023 22:39 UTC