US President Joe Biden on Thursday (Jan 9) said there was “real progress” in talks for a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.

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This comes as a Lancet study estimates show that the death toll recorded in the first nine months of the Gaza war was around 40 per cent higher than the already high toll reported by the Palestinian territory's health ministry.

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Biden's statement

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Addressing reporters at the White House, Biden said, “We're making some real progress, I met with negotiators today.”

“I'm still hopeful that we will be able to have a prisoner exchange.”

The US president said that Hamas was getting in the way of the prisoner exchange.

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“Hamas is the one getting in the way of that exchange right now, but I think we may be able to get that done, we need to get it done.”

Gaza toll higher than estimates: Lancet

Meanwhile, Lancet in a report released on Friday said that the death toll in Gaza was around 40 per cent higher than the Palestinian Health Ministry's figures — which are trusted by the UN.

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As per the health ministry's estimates, till June 30, 2024, the death toll in Gaza was 37,877. 

However, a peer-reviewed study which used data from the ministry, an online study and social media obituaries has estimated that the actual death toll was between 55,298 and 78,525 deaths. The best guess for the death toll estimate is 64,260, which if true, means that the health ministry death toll is underreported by 41 per cent.

The UK-led group of researchers estimated that 59 per cent of these deaths were women, children, and the elderly. The toll was only for deaths from traumatic injuries, so did not include deaths from a lack of health care or food, or the thousands of missing believed to be buried under rubble.

(With inputs from agencies)