Hamas Official admits natural deaths included in Gaza's war toll

A senior official from Hamas’s Health Ministry has admitted that Gaza's reported war fatalities have included individuals who died from natural causes or were later found to be alive. Zaher al-Wahidi, head of the statistics team at the Hamas-run Health Ministry, acknowledged the issue during an interview with Sky News. He revealed that many of the reported deaths were due to natural causes such as heart attacks, pneumonia, or hypothermia, often occurring near the explosions of war or in the aftermath of bombing raids.

This disclosure followed an in-depth analysis by the nonprofit organization HonestReporting, which raised questions about the accuracy of the casualty figures provided by the Gaza Health Ministry. Last week, the organization reported that around 3,400 names previously listed as war casualties had been removed from the ministry’s most recent death tally. This included over 1,000 minors, who were no longer listed as deceased.

According to Sky News, discrepancies were also found in the numbers of individuals previously reported as casualties. For example, 1,852 names from the October death list were removed in the March report, with explanations citing natural deaths or instances where the individuals were later found alive but imprisoned. In total, around 3,952 names were removed or revised since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.

The Hamas Health Ministry’s admission marks the first time the organization has publicly acknowledged such discrepancies. Previously, such inconsistencies had been attributed solely to flaws in the reporting mechanisms.

HonestReporting’s findings also highlighted shifts in the demographic breakdown of the reported fatalities. Of those originally listed as deceased, 72% were male and within the typical combat age range of 13-55. The proportion of working-age men (ages 18-60) in the death toll increased from 41% in November to 44% in March, while the share of women dropped slightly from 19% to 17%. Despite these revisions, the Health Ministry's most recent death toll published on Saturday still stands at 50,609.

The controversy over casualty counts in Gaza has sparked further debate over the accuracy and reliability of the reports coming out of the region. As the conflict continues, questions about the true human cost of the war remain a focal point for both local and international observers.