Hamas has updated its casualty figures from the Gaza conflict, removing hundreds of names from its official list of fatalities. This revision reveals that approximately 72% of those killed were men aged 13 to 55, a demographic predominantly composed of combatants. The new data contradicts earlier claims made by Hamas suggesting that most casualties were women and children.
Salo Aizenberg, associated with the U.S.-based nonprofit HonestReporting, conducted a thorough analysis of Hamas’ casualty lists and discovered these changes. His investigation revealed that around 3,400 names, including over 1,080 children, were removed from the group’s March 2025 report after being included in 2024.
Aizenberg noted that the original casualty reports, published by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, were widely referenced by significant international organizations, including the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC). “These ‘deaths’ never occurred. The numbers were falsified – again,” he stated.
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The United Nations did not respond to a Fox News Digital inquiry regarding whether the organization regretted disseminating those casualty figures in light of the revised data.
A spokesperson from the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is currently investigating Israel for alleged war crimes, informed Fox News Digital, “We cannot provide comments on matters related to ongoing investigations. This approach is crucial to maintain the integrity of investigations and to ensure the safety and security of victims, witnesses, and all individuals with whom the Office interacts.”
David Adesnik, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, also corroborated these findings. His analysis indicates that 72% of the fatalities fall within the male combat-age range of 13 to 55.
“Even at age 13, there’s a significant excess of male over female deaths, and this disparity increases with age,” Adesnik told Fox News Digital. “If you calculate from age 13 to 59, there are slightly more than 15,000 excess men. This suggests a substantial number of those killed were fighters.”
His analysis revealed a stark gender imbalance: at age 13, there are 588 male casualties compared to 385 females; by age 19, the discrepancy grows to 800 males versus 285 females. This trend persists across the age spectrum, indicating a disproportionately high number of male combatant deaths.
Adesnik further pointed out discrepancies in the death recording process. “Significant numbers of names vanish from the list over time. It’s like 2,000 names are removed, and new ones are added,” he said.
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He explained that Hamas operates with two lists: one for deaths verified by hospitals, and another for deaths reported by family members via an online form – typically in cases where bodies could not be retrieved. “Over time, officials realized many of these family-reported names were inaccurate or unverified, and began removing them from the count – substituting one set of data for another to obscure their original manipulation,” Adesnik elaborated.
Zaher Al Wahidi, head of the statistics team at Gaza’s health ministry, informed Sky News that names submitted via the online form had been removed as a precautionary measure pending a judicial investigation into each case. “We recognized that many individuals [submitted via the form] died from natural causes,” Wahidi said. He added that some families submitting false claims may have been motivated by the prospect of government financial aid.
Adesnik referenced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s previous statements regarding Gaza war casualties. “He stated there were 30,000 dead – 14,000 fighters and 16,000 civilians – while Hamas asserted that 70% were women and children. This data provides a clearer understanding of the demographic breakdown and supports the IDF’s assertion that it is targeting combatants,” he stated.
The larger debate surrounding casualty accuracy intensified following an Israeli strike on March 23 that resulted in the deaths of 15 humanitarian workers, including a paramedic, as reported by the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent. This incident provoked widespread outrage. However, the Israeli military clarified that “the aid workers were mistakenly identified as terrorists.”
Preliminary findings indicate that the incident occurred during a covert IDF operation. Approximately two hours earlier, Israeli forces had been engaged in a firefight with terrorists in the same vicinity. Later, feeling threatened, an IDF representative told Fox News Digital, the troops fired upon suspicious vehicles. The incident is currently under investigation by the IDF.
In a related update, the IDF announced this week that Mohammed Saleh Mohammed Al-Bardawil, a senior Hamas terror leader, was eliminated in a targeted operation. Although referred to as a journalist in Gaza, the IDF stated Bardawil was involved in producing propaganda videos, including footage of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
“The IDF and ISA will persist in targeting and dismantling Hamas’ infrastructure to mitigate the threat it poses to Israeli civilians,” the military noted. In a separate statement, it emphasized, “The IDF makes extensive efforts to estimate and consider potential civilian collateral damage. The IDF has never, and will never, deliberately target children.”
