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Palestinian Arabs

Classified Israeli Military Database Reveals High Civilian Death Rate in Gaza

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A joint investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call has uncovered a classified Israeli military database that shows the vast majority of Palestinians killed in Gaza are civilians. The investigation reveals that as of May 2025, Israeli military intelligence had listed 8,900 fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as confirmed or "probably" dead, accounting for just 17% of the total death toll. In contrast, Gaza's health authorities recorded at least 53,000 deaths from Israeli attacks, with civilians making up approximately 83% of the total death toll. This ratio is nearly unparalleled in modern warfare, with only the Rwandan genocide, the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, and Russia's 2022 siege of Mariupol recording a higher civilian death rate.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Israeli military database reveals that 83% of Palestinians killed in Gaza are civilians, with only 17% being fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
  • As of May 2025, Gaza's health authorities recorded at least 53,000 deaths from Israeli attacks, with 50,000 of those deaths occurring by March 2025.
  • Civilians made up approximately 83% of the total death toll, with named fighters accounting for only 17% of those killed.
  • The high civilian death rate is comparable to only a few notable conflicts in modern history, including the Rwandan genocide, the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, and Russia's 2022 siege of Mariupol.
  • Israeli politicians and military leaders have consistently inflated fighter death tolls, claiming as many as 20,000 fighters killed or insisting on a civilian-to-combatant ratio of 1:1.
  • Rights groups and genocide scholars argue that the findings further support claims that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, pointing to mass civilian deaths alongside deliberate starvation.

Statistics:

  • 8,900: The number of fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) confirmed or "probably" dead, accounting for 17% of the total death toll.
  • 53,000: The minimum number of deaths recorded by Gaza's health authorities from Israeli attacks, with 50,000 of those deaths occurring by March 2025.
  • 83%: The percentage of Palestinians killed in Gaza who are civilians.
  • 17%: The percentage of Palestinians killed in Gaza who are fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
  • 50,000: The number of deaths in Gaza by March 2025.
  • 62,000: The current total number of deaths in Gaza.
  • 157,000: The current total number of wounded in Gaza.

Sources:

  • The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call, "Revealed: Israeli military's own data indicates civilian death rate of 83 in Gaza war" (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2025/aug/21/revealed-israeli-militarys-own-data-indicates-civilian-death-rate-of-83-in-gaza-war)
  • Al Jazeera, "Nakba: The ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948" (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/by-the-numbers-3/2025/5/15/nakba-the-ethnic-cleansing-of-palestinians-in-1948)
  • Al Jazeera, "ICC issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu for war crimes in Gaza" (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/21/icc-issues-arrest-warrant-for-israeli-pm-netanyahu-for-war-crimes-in-gaza)

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