Top US official called out for 'creepy smirking' over Gaza death toll

Did US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller really "smirk" while discussing the Gaza death toll during a media briefing?

Many think so, and the video of his facial expression also appears to buttress the allegation of insensitivity by one of the highest-ranking officials on Capitol Hill.

During a State Department briefing on Tuesday, Miller was asked about the new death figures in Gaza, which were mentioned in a recently published report by the medical journal The Lancet.

The report stated that although the official death toll since October 7 stands at nearly 38,200, according to Gaza government sources, it could be as high as 186,000, or around eight percent of Gaza's pre-war population.

When journalist Said Arikat asked about this number, Miller responded by saying that the Biden administration was aware that the death toll in Gaza "could very well be more" than what has been reported.

Another journalist in the conference room, Sam Husseini, then accused Miller of having an inappropriate facial expression during his answer.

"You're smirking as you say that... are you aware?" Husseini said.

Miller subsequently gestured for the next question before stating that he wouldn't "entertain" this accusation.

One media outlet even described it as “creepy smirking” in a post on the micro-blogging site X.

Despite the growing number of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of Gaza, the US has stood behind Israel and provided the Jewish state with material and moral support in its genocidal war on Palestinians.

US President Joe Biden’s occasional lip service about the death toll in Gaza has failed to nudge Israel towards a ceasefire despite growing calls globally to end what has turned out to be a systematic ethnic cleansing.

The true number

The Lancet report highlighted the difficulty in collecting accurate data due to the widespread destruction in Gaza.

The true number of casualties likely includes thousands still trapped under rubble and those who have succumbed to secondary effects of the war, such as malnutrition, disease, and lack of medical care.

"The number of reported deaths is likely an underestimate. The non-governmental organisation Airwars undertakes detailed assessments of incidents in the Gaza Strip and often finds that not all names of identifiable victims are included in the Ministry’s list,” the report stated.

The medical journal urged for an immediate ceasefire, emphasising that humanitarian aid is urgently needed to prevent further loss of life.

It also stressed the importance of documenting the full scale of the conflict for historical accountability and post-war recovery.

Irresponsible remarks

This was not the first time Miller has caused widespread shock and criticism with his remarks on the situation in Gaza during official press conferences.

Last month, when asked by journalists about an overnight strike on a facility where about 6,000 people had sought shelter in Gaza, he said, "Israel has a right to try and target those civilians."

The remarks were quickly corrected afterwards as the State Department said Miller misspoke and that he intended to say "Hamas" rather than "civilians".

Following ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s announcement in May that he is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, the US spokesperson also made controversial statements.

He claimed that only Israel and the US have jurisdiction to decide if the Israeli army’s actions in Gaza contravene laws.

“The government of Israel has jurisdiction and we have jurisdiction with the use of our military that we have provided,” he said.

Miller also commented on a report released earlier this year by the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, which stated that Israel's actions against Palestinians in Gaza have “crossed the threshold of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”

He said that they believe “allegations of genocide are unfounded” and accused rapporteur Albanese of making "antisemitic statements".