Hamas vastly inflated Gaza death statistics, study shows
By: Canaan Lidor, (National Post)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Hamas vastly inflated Gaza death statistics, study shows
Some 5,000 natural deaths were counted as war fatalities, methodology too erratic to be trusted
Asma Al Habash mourns victims of an Israeli army strike at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Dec.12. Photo by Abdel Kareem Hana THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
A rigorous analysis published on Saturday of Hamas authorities' death statistics in Gaza shows they were vastly inflated and methodologically flawed.
The report by the London-based Henry Jackson Society security think tank breaks down the figure of about 44,000 deaths since Oct. 7, 2023, that the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza has published, and which international media have reported without scrutiny.
The scale of civilian deaths in Gaza is a key element in a legal and propaganda push attempt by Israel's enemies to isolate it internationally using false allegations of genocide.
The figure, which does not distinguish between civilians and the 17,000 terrorists Israel says it has killed in Gaza, also includes about 5,000 people who die of natural causes each year, states the report.
"This report raises serious concerns that the Gaza MoH figures have been overstated," wrote Andrew Fox, an analyst who specializes in defense, the Middle East and disinformation, who wrote the report for the Henry Jackson Society.
The report was reported on Saturday in mainstream media, including the New York Post and The Telegraph, whose article the Israel Foreign Ministry reposted on X.
'Questionable Counting'
"The data behind their figures contains natural deaths, deaths from before this conflict began and deaths of those killed by Hamas itself; it contains no mention of Hamas combatant fatalities; and it overstates the number of women and children killed," reads the report, titled "Questionable Counting: Analysing the Death Toll from the Hamas-Run Ministry of Health in Gaza."
Some cancer patients were listed as requiring treatment after they had already been listed as war causalities. Jihad Mahmoud Adeeb Al-Taweel, ID number 950130153, was described in an April 15 list as a patient with laryngeal cancer, two weeks after being listed as a war fatality.
The report outlined additional statistical inconsistencies in the data collection process, including in the hospitals that reported it to the health ministry.
A "dramatic change happened in reports from al-Aqsa hospital [in Deir al-Balah], where the claimed number of fatalities jumped from 4,994, as per the 31 March 2024 report, to 6,608 just a week later. At the same time, the number of children jumped from 1,294 to 2,142, meaning children were responsible for 52.5% of the sharp increase," the report said.
In a Dec. 10 article about the latest death statistics by the health ministry in Gaza, The Palestine Chronicle reported that "Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children"—a claim that anti-Israel activists often cite to promote the genocide charge against the Jewish state.
But Fox's report found that "most fatalities are men aged 15-45, contradicting claims that civilian populations are being disproportionately targeted." Deaths reported by families, as opposed to how they are listed by the health ministry, "suggests that many fatalities classified as civilian may be combatants, a distinction omitted from official reporting," the Fox report states.
On Dec. 10, Hamas's Government Media Office wrote that nearly 44% of 44,758 reported fatalities in the Gaza Strip were children. The report disputes this data, showing cases of adults being listed as children. The document also shows that the Government Media Office, which says its data come from the health ministry, routinely inflates the share of women and children in the statistics.
The health ministry data also shows that men have been misclassified as women, the Fox report states. "In the August 2024 list, 103 names were marked as female who had a male first name (e.g. Mohammed)."
The report comes as Israel is on trial for alleged genocide at the International Court of Justice and prosecutions for alleged crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court against Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel and the United States, among other countries, have categorically rejected and condemned those charges.
Israel's advocates have said that even Hamas's unreliable statistics, when combined with the Israeli estimates on the number of terrorists killed in the Gaza Strip, reveal a relatively low rate of civilian deaths. Considering the urban warfare conditions of the Gaza Strip, and Hamas's strategy of using civilian shields, Israel's defenders say the statistics reflect a major effort to avoid civilian loss of life during IDF operations to dismantle Hamas and free Israeli hostages.
An estimated 6,000 Palestinian terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, murdering some 1,200 people and abducting another 250. About 100 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, though dozens of them are believed to have died. Israel and Hamas are engaged in indirect talks for a ceasefire. The condition of the hostages is unknown as Hamas has not allowed aid organizations, including the Red Cross, to visit them.
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FINALLY a reputable agency has published a study that confirms what I've been saying all along. It doesn't matter that the numbers of deaths were exaggerated, and the numbers of women and children inflated, and the numbers of combatants totally omitted as long as the gullible and/or antisemitic bleeding hearts of the world (including some right here on NT) would eat them up and scream GENOCIDE and despise Israel. Hamas has already won the propaganda war, which is why they won't do the right thing, i.e. surrender, since their defeat is bound to be inevitable, in order to stop the bloodshed, release the hostages, ease the humanitarian crisis and start the rebuilding. Why WOULD they surrender? They now have the support of the rest of the world other than the American government (but not all its people), the United Nations is on their side (ignoring that UNRWA took part in the Oct 7 massacre and has been complicit in aiding the Hamas combatants). the International Court of Justice has accused Israel of genocide, the half-wits are marching and protesting and demonstrating in support of the terrorists, so why should Hamas lay down their arms?
Finally a reputable agency thrown their reputation into the bonfire of bullshit, the same as anyone who claims to know how many people in Gaza have died has (that includes Hamas).
The real death totals will not be known until the war is over (Israel will not accept a Hamas surrender- because they don't even know who is Hamas and who isn't at this point. Gaza is Lord of the Flies right now; with gangs, families, and clans all fighting for survival. Israel probably counts anyone moving in a group and armed in any way as Hamas. Kids throwing rocks at IDF soldiers- must be Hamas; people raiding warehouses where aid was stored- surely it is long gone by now- must be Hamas. Palestinians fighting each other for scraps to live on- must be Hamas.)
Israel will need to drop the blockade so heavy machinery, recovery materials and emergency supplies (including shelters), and aid workers can be brought in to stabilize what is left and clear the rubble (they will be uncovering both dead Palestinians and the Israeli hostages at this point). Anyone that died of exposure, starvation, or lack of medical care is a victim of the war. As the occupying force Israel is responsible for the safety and well being of all Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank according to international law. Problem is they don't give a shit about the Palestinians; so no matter what the real numbers are Israel will deny them- claiming they are all Hamas. Any West Bank Palestinians killed will be justified by Oct 7th; by the Israeli government- even though they had jack shit of nothing to do with the operation.
As for the US government. They care more about foreign countries (even if they are fascist countries) than they do about their own citizens. Their campaigns accept donations from AIPAC, Ukraine, and elsewhere. Their relatives and friends are given cushy jobs paying millions in fields they have no damn experience in. Influence peddling is rampant. So fuck all of the US politicians as well.
Also, anyone that thinks I support the Palestinians is flat out wrong. All US funding the PA should be cut off. The PA is only interested in lining their pockets with US/Israel aid money- than actually defending and helping their own people in the West Bank. The PA pulls out of any town the Israeli settlers and IDF threaten and attack. It sells out it's own people to the IDF- knowing full well their will either be killed; or imprisoned w/o a fair trial forever. Also, not a single US cent should go to rebuilding Gaza. That is completely on Israel; and they need to pay for it their damn selves. I keep hearing about how Israel doesn't need US aid; well it is time to hold them to that. No 3 billion a year going to Israel for just existing. No five finger US taxpayer discount for buying US weapons. No damn US government aid of any type. If Israel wants US arms they can damn well pay for them themselves. The US should also end all money going to the UNRWA. Maybe Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt will actually do something to help the Palestinian refugees in their countries if the money they receive ends. Why bother to actually attempt to integrate them, when the aid coming never stops? If the problem goes away so does the money; and they damn well know it!
As far as the ICJ. The leaders of Hamas and Israel (including Bibi) can share the same damn cell and allowed to fight it out. It would be the first time in the history of the conflict where those responsible for ordering the pain, death, and destruction would be doing the fighting themselves. The ICJ could sell tickets to watch the last man standing will still be executed battle royal. The money raised could be refunded back to those countries asinine to give money to either Israel, PA, or the ANRWA.
Screw anyone supporting the US sending money and resources abroad. The world can do a good job of burning itself down w/o wasting tax payer money. It is not like anything we do to try and help doesn't come back to bite us in the ass in the end anyways.