Hamas has adjusted its reported casualty numbers from the Gaza conflict, significantly reducing the total and indicating that 72% of those killed were males between 13 and 55 years old – a group largely made up of fighters. This update contradicts previous assertions that the majority of casualties were women and children.

Salo Aizenberg, from HonestReporting, a U.S.-based nonprofit, discovered these revisions through a thorough examination of Hamas’ casualty lists. His analysis showed that 3,400 names, including more than 1,080 children, were removed from the group’s March 2025 report after being included in the 2024 figures.

Aizenberg noted that the original reports, issued by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health, were widely cited by prominent international bodies like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC). He stated, “These ‘deaths’ never occurred. The figures were fabricated – again.”

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The United Nations has not responded to a Digital inquiry regarding whether it regrets disseminating the initial figures, considering the updated information.

An ICC spokesperson stated, “We cannot comment on ongoing investigations. This is crucial for protecting the integrity of investigations and ensuring the safety of victims, witnesses, and all those involved with the Office.” 

David Adesnik, from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, independently reached a similar conclusion, observing that 72% of the fatalities were males of combat age (13-55).

“Even at age 13, there’s a notable surplus of male deaths compared to female deaths, and this difference increases with age,” Adesnik told Digital. “Calculating from age 13 to 59, there are over 15,000 more men, suggesting the approximate number of fighters.”

His findings revealed a significant gender disparity: at 13 years old, there were 588 male casualties compared to 385 females; by 19, the gap expanded to 800 males versus 285 females. This pattern continues across the age range, indicating a disproportionately high number of male combatant deaths.

Adesnik also pointed out inconsistencies in the death records. “Large numbers of names disappear from the list over time, with around 2,000 names being removed and replaced,” he said.

He explained that Hamas maintains two separate lists: one for deaths verified by hospitals, and another for deaths reported by families through an online form – often when bodies could not be recovered. “Over time, officials realized that many of the family-reported names were inaccurate or unconfirmed, and they began to quietly remove them from the count – replacing the original data to conceal their initial manipulation,” Adesnik said.

Zaher Al Wahidi, head of the statistics team at ’s health ministry, that names submitted via the online form were removed as a precaution, pending a judicial review of each case. “We realized that many people [submitted via the form] died of natural causes,” Wahidi said. He added that some families may have submitted false claims due to the promise of government financial aid.

Adesnik cited Benjamin Netanyahu’s previous comments regarding Gaza war casualties. “He stated 30,000 dead – 14,000 fighters, 16,000 civilians – while Hamas claimed 70% were women and children. This data provides a clearer demographic breakdown and supports the IDF’s claim that it is targeting combatants,” he said.

The debate surrounding casualty accuracy intensified after an Israeli strike on March 23 , which resulted in the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including a paramedic, according to the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent, sparking widespread condemnation. However, the Israeli military stated that “the aid workers were mistakenly identified as terrorists”.

Preliminary findings suggest that the incident occurred during a covert IDF operation. Approximately two hours prior, Israeli forces engaged in a firefight with terrorists in the same area. Later, perceiving a threat, IDF troops opened fire on suspicious vehicles, according to an IDF official. The incident remains under investigation by the IDF.

Separately, the IDF announced the death of Mohammed Saleh Mohammed Al-Bardawil, a senior Hamas terror leader, in a targeted operation. Although described as a journalist in Gaza, the IDF stated that Bardawil was involved in producing propaganda videos, including footage of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

“The IDF and ISA will continue to target and dismantle Hamas’ infrastructure to mitigate the threat it poses to Israeli civilians,” the military stated. In a separate statement, it emphasized: “The IDF makes significant efforts to estimate and consider potential civilian collateral damage. The IDF has never, and will never, deliberately target children.”

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