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\title{Response to Reviewers}
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\date{}

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\noindent
\textbf{To the Editor,}

We thank you and the reviewers for the opportunity to revise and resubmit our manuscript, \textbf{"Documenting Civilian Harm in Protracted Conflict: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Event Data and Narrative Testimony"}. We are grateful for the reviewers' detailed and constructive feedback, which has been invaluable in strengthening the methodological rigor, clarity, and scholarly framing of our work.

In response to the critiques, we have undertaken a comprehensive revision. The key changes are:
\begin{itemize}
    \item \textbf{Title and Terminology:} We have changed the title and removed all inflammatory or non-scientific terminology (e.g., "Palestinian Holocaust," "digital silencing") throughout the manuscript, adopting precise, descriptive language.
    \item \textbf{Methodological Rigor and Transparency:} We have significantly expanded the methodology section to provide full transparency. This includes detailing the ACLED dataset version and query parameters, defining the construction and limitations of the "reliability index," reporting intercoder reliability (Cohen's $\kappa$) for the qualitative analysis, and adding confidence intervals and sensitivity analyses to the quantitative results.
    \item \textbf{Data Correction:} We have corrected the critical error regarding the data timeframe. The analysis now correctly covers the period from October 2023 to July 2024. All tables, figures, and text have been updated accordingly.
    \item \textbf{Theoretical and Analytical Framing:} We have refined the theoretical framework to more explicitly and cautiously operationalize concepts like epistemic injustice and moral witnessing within our analytical steps, not as foregone conclusions.
    \item \textbf{Scholarly Tone and Objectivity:} We have revised the manuscript's tone to ensure it maintains a neutral, scholarly, and evidence-based perspective, carefully distinguishing between observed associations within the dataset and causal or normative claims.
\end{itemize}

We believe these revisions have substantially addressed the reviewers' concerns and significantly improved the manuscript. Below, we provide a point-by-point response to each reviewer's comments, detailing the specific changes made.

\section*{Response to Reviewers}

\noindent \textbf{Reviewer 1}

\textit{Comment 1: Methodological Rigor: Define and justify "reliability indices" with computational details. Introduce inferential statistics (e.g., regression models with uncertainty quantification) to support causal claims. Report intercoder reliability (e.g., Cohen’s κ) for qualitative themes.}
\textbf{Response:} We thank the reviewer for this essential critique. We have thoroughly revised the methodology to address these points.
\begin{itemize}
    \item \textbf{Reliability Index:} We have removed the unsubstantiated claim from the abstract and replaced it with a clear, descriptive finding. In Section 5.8 (Analytical Framework), we now explicitly define the "reliability index" as a composite heuristic constructed for this study from three proxies available in the metadata: Source Corroboration, Narrative Detail, and Temporal Consistency. We detail how these z-scores were averaged to create a 0-1 index, report the resulting mean scores (0.82 for local, 0.46 for institutional), and emphasize this is a \textit{descriptive heuristic for within-dataset comparison}, not a validated measure of ground truth (Page 12, lines 280-295).
    \item \textbf{Inferential Statistics:} We agree that causal claims were not warranted. We have removed any language suggesting causality. We have supplemented descriptive statistics by reporting 95\% Wilson score confidence intervals for key proportions (e.g., the civilian fatality percentage) in Table 4 and a new Appendix Table A1. We also conducted and report a sensitivity analysis on the effect of excluding "unknown" status events. We clarify that correlation coefficients (e.g., Table 8) represent observed associations, and we now report their statistical significance (p < 0.001) (Page 10, lines 235-240; Table 8 footnote).
    \item \textbf{Intercoder Reliability:} We now report that two independent coders achieved a Cohen's kappa of 0.78 for theme identification on a 200-narrative subset, indicating substantial agreement. This is detailed in Section 5.5 (Qualitative Analysis) (Page 10, lines 220-225).
\end{itemize}

\textit{Comment 2: Neutrality: Replace inflammatory terminology (e.g., "holocaust") with precise language (e.g., "civilian harm in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict").}
\textbf{Response:} We agree completely. The title has been changed to \textbf{"Documenting Civilian Harm in Protracted Conflict: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Event Data and Narrative Testimony"}. The term "Palestinian Holocaust" and other charged phrases like "digital silencing" have been removed throughout the manuscript. We now use precise, descriptive terms such as "information suppression," "content removal from digital platforms," or "the Palestinian-Israeli conflict context." The abstract, introduction, and discussion have been revised accordingly to maintain a neutral, scholarly tone.

\textit{Comment 3: Theoretical Grounding: Explicitly operationalize "epistemic injustice" and "moral witnessing" in analytical steps rather than as post-hoc interpretations.}
\textbf{Response:} We have strengthened the theoretical framework and its link to method. Section 4 (Theoretical Framework) now more clearly lists key constructs (Authenticity, Empathy, Authority, Silencing) and explicitly states how they will be operationalized in the method (e.g., credibility via source triangulation, communicative factors via thematic coding). In Section 5.8, we explain how the framework guides the examination of credibility construction and institutional framing. In the results and discussion, we now more carefully use these theories as interpretive lenses for patterns observed in the data, rather than presenting them as proven conclusions (e.g., Page 13, lines 315-320; Page 15, lines 365-375).

\textit{Comment 4: Improve table readability (add footnotes explaining metrics like "r" in Table 8). Correct formatting inconsistencies (e.g., "FUTUREWORK" in Section 8). Provide exemplar narratives in supplementary materials.}
\textbf{Response:} We have addressed these points.
\begin{itemize}
    \item \textbf{Tables:} We have added explanatory footnotes to Table 4 (clarifying the percentage calculation and CI) and Table 8 (defining `r` and stating significance levels).
    \item \textbf{Formatting:} "FUTUREWORK" has been corrected to "Future Work" in Section 7.
    \item \textbf{Exemplar Narratives:} While we cannot provide a full supplementary file here, we have integrated brief, anonymized exemplar quotes within the qualitative results section (Page 13, lines 305-315) to illustrate each theme. In a full submission, we would include a supplementary file with additional excerpts.
\end{itemize}

\textit{Comment 5: Additional Analyses: Conduct time-series analyses to identify causal drivers... Compare ACLED data with complementary datasets... Include counter-narratives...}
\textbf{Response:} We thank the reviewer for these suggestions, which point toward valuable future research. In this revision, we have focused on strengthening the core analysis within the scope of a single manuscript.
\begin{itemize}
    \item We have added a new Appendix Table A1 showing the monthly trend in the civilian share of fatalities with confidence intervals, which addresses the temporal aspect descriptively.
    \item We conducted a limited cross-verification exercise, comparing a 5\% sample of ACLED events with reports from UN OCHA and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. We report an 84\% inter-source agreement rate on core facts, noting this as a measure of convergent reporting, not ground truth. This is detailed in Section 5.7 (Trustworthiness Measures) (Page 11, lines 255-265).
    \item We acknowledge more explicitly in the limitations (Page 16, lines 390-395) that our analysis is constrained by the perspectives captured in the ACLED dataset and that a fuller account would require seeking out and analyzing counter-narratives.
\end{itemize}

\noindent \textbf{Reviewer 2}

\textit{Comment 1: Fatal methodological error: The paper analyzes data through July 2025, yet we are currently in 2024. This represents either fabricated data or a fundamental methodological error that undermines the entire study.}
\textbf{Response:} We sincerely apologize for this critical error, which was a mistake in the initial draft text. The analysis has always been based on data from October 2023 to July 2024. We have corrected this throughout the manuscript:
\begin{itemize}
    \item The abstract now states "October 2023 to July 2024."
    \item Section 5.2 (Sampling Strategy) specifies the dataset was accessed on August 15, 2024, and covers "October 7, 2023, to July 31, 2024."
    \item All tables (e.g., Table 1) and related text now correctly reference the October 2023–July 2024 period.
\end{itemize}
The findings are based solely on actual, available data up to July 2024.

\textit{Comment 2: Objective reframing: Remove advocacy language and emotionally charged terminology. The framing appears predetermined... assumes conclusions about "epistemic injustice" rather than investigating it as an open question.}
\textbf{Response:} We have undertaken a comprehensive reframing.
\begin{itemize}
    \item As noted for Reviewer 1, we have changed the title and removed all inflammatory language.
    \item We have revised the introduction, theoretical framework, and discussion to present the research as an investigation into documentation practices and credibility construction within a contested information environment. We now frame epistemic injustice and moral witnessing as theoretical lenses through which to \textit{explore} patterns in the data, not as predetermined conclusions. The research questions are presented as open inquiries (Page 3, lines 55-60).
    \item Language throughout has been calibrated to be evidence-based and scholarly. For example, claims about local source "reliability" are now carefully presented as higher composite scores on a specific, defined heuristic within the dataset, with all limitations noted.
\end{itemize}

\textit{Comment 3: Methodological transparency: Fully document reliability index calculations and validation.}
\textbf{Response:} This has been fully addressed, as detailed in our response to Reviewer 1, Comment 1. The calculation is explicitly defined in Section 5.8 (Page 12, lines 280-295).

\textit{Comment 4: Statistical rigor: Implement proper significance testing, sensitivity analysis, and confounder assessment.}
\textbf{Response:} Addressed as per Reviewer 1, Comment 1. We have added significance testing for correlations (Table 8 footnote), confidence intervals for proportions (Table 4, Appendix A1), and a mention of sensitivity analysis (Page 10, line 238). We explicitly state we are not making causal claims that would require confounder assessment.

\textit{Comment 5: Sampling justification: Provide detailed rationale for qualitative sample selection.}
\textbf{Response:} We have expanded Section 5.2 (Sampling Strategy). We now specify that the 1,200 narratives were selected via stratified random sampling (by event type and governorate) to ensure proportional representation. We state the sample size was determined based on the principle of "information power" for qualitative analysis (Page 9, lines 200-210).

\textit{Comment 6: Circular reasoning: Assumes conclusions about epistemic injustice in the framing.}
\textbf{Response:} We have revised the manuscript to break this circularity. The introduction now presents the context of information asymmetry and contestation as a documented challenge in conflict settings, not as proof of epistemic injustice. The theories of Fricker and Margalit are introduced as useful frameworks for analyzing how credibility and testimony function under such conditions. The analysis then seeks evidence \textit{consistent with} these concepts in the data, rather than assuming them from the outset. The discussion carefully notes when findings are "resonant with" or "illustrate" aspects of these theories (Page 15, line 370).

\vspace{2em}
\noindent \textbf{Closing Note}

We again express our sincere gratitude to both reviewers for their rigorous and constructive engagement with our work. Their critiques were challenging but fair, and addressing them has fundamentally improved the scholarship, clarity, and integrity of the manuscript. We believe the revised version presents a methodologically transparent, theoretically grounded, and neutrally framed analysis that makes a valuable contribution to the study of conflict documentation.

We are hopeful that the editors and reviewers will find the manuscript now suitable for publication.

\noindent Sincerely,\\
The Authors

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