According to local media reports, the Israeli military admitted in a press conference to Israeli journalists that some 70,000 Palestinians had died during the war in Gaza, and that Health Ministry figures in the enclave were largely accurate.
“We estimate that around 70,000 Gazans have been killed in the war, including those missing,” Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronos quoted military officials as saying on Thursday. The country’s public broadcaster Kan 11 said the information came from the Coordinator of Territorial Government Affairs (COGAT) and that efforts were currently underway to analyze how many of those killed were civilians or militants.
On Wednesday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that a total of 71,667 Palestinians have been killed and 171,343 injured in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war. This number includes 492 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire began in mid-October. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants and regularly publishes a list of those killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza.
Early in the war, Israel questioned the number of Palestinians killed in attacks by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and repeatedly accused the Health Ministry, which it says is controlled by Hamas, of inflating the numbers.
An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson did not confirm the information provided to Israeli journalists.
“IDF makes clear that the details released do not reflect official IDF data,” the spokesperson said. “All publications and reports on this issue will be released through official and orderly channels.” The spokesperson did not answer whether the IDF had data on the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza or whether such information would be made public in the future.
“We have no further comment beyond the information we have already provided.”
The IDF has never publicly acknowledged the death toll in Gaza, but senior officials have mentioned the number in private conversations. In an audio recording released by Israel’s Channel 12 News last August, former IDF intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Hariba said, “The fact that there have already been 50,000 deaths in Gaza is necessary, and it is necessary for future generations.” It is unclear when Hariba made his remarks, but the death toll in Gaza exceeded 50,000 in March 2025.
In September, former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Helj Halevi said, “There are 2.2 million people in Gaza. Currently, more than 10%, more than 200,000 people, have been killed or injured in Gaza. This is not a gentle war.” This figure was roughly in line with the Health Ministry’s casualty figures at the time, which said Israeli forces had killed about 65,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 164,000.
