Israeli military admits to over 70,000 deaths in Gaza

The Israeli army now recognises as credible the estimate by the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, which reports more than 71,000 Palestinians killed since the start of the war on 7 October 2023. According to the data cited, approximately 71,667 people have been killed by Israeli army fire, a figure that does not include those still missing and buried under the rubble. This total also does not include deaths related to starvation or diseases exacerbated by the conflict.

The military authorities indicate that their services are currently analysing the registers of names in order to establish the proportion of combatants and civilians in the total number of victims. The Gaza Ministry's databases identify more than 90% of the dead by name and identity number, but do not distinguish between their status. Until now, the State of Israel has refused to officially endorse these figures, and the Foreign Office has described them as misleading and unreliable.

Many international actors, organisations, governments, media outlets and researchers have been examining these statistics since the beginning of the war. A broad consensus has formed around their methodological soundness, with the idea that they may even be below the actual figures. The Israeli army has not published a detailed alternative count or presented any contradictory figures.

A study published in June 2025 already estimated the number of violent deaths in Gaza at more than 75,000 as of January 2025, while the official local count was around 55,000 at that date. International experts have been talking for months about a possible underestimation due to unaccounted bodies and areas that have long been inaccessible.

The Gaza Ministry of Health states that its counting method is based solely on deaths directly attributed to strikes and gunfire, based on hospital records and cross-checked family statements. Indirect deaths linked to humanitarian conditions, shortages or the collapse of the health system are not included in the total reported. Haaretz

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IN SHORT
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🇪🇺 European Union • The foreign ministers of the 27 member states have agreed to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, following the deadly crackdown on protests in Iran, according to European diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas. Sanctions are also being imposed on 21 officials and entities, with entry bans and asset freezes. Tehran denounced the decision as hostile and accused the Europeans of fuelling regional tensions.

🇨🇦 Canada – 🇺🇸 United States • Officials from Donald Trump's administration met several times in Washington with an Alberta separatist group, the Alberta Prosperity Project, which campaigns for the independence of the Canadian province. According to the Financial Times, these discussions focused in particular on possible financial support in the event of a referendum. The White House says that no commitment has been made.

🇪🇹 Ethiopia • Fighting has been reported in recent days between the federal army and Tigrayan forces in the Tsemlet area, west of Tigray, according to diplomatic and security sources, with the support of Amhara militias. Ethiopian Airlines flights to the region have been suspended for operational reasons, a first since the 2022 peace agreement, against a backdrop of high tensions with Eritrea.

🇺🇦 Ukraine – 🇷🇺 Russia • Moscow is filling the gaps in its ground forces by redeploying personnel from the navy and nuclear units, according to Ukrainian military analysts, against a backdrop of very high losses since 2022. A study we reported on yesterday cites approximately 1.2 million casualties (dead, wounded, missing) on the Russian side and between 500,000 and 600,000 on the Ukrainian side, figures rejected by the Kremlin. Kyiv is also warning of a possible large-scale Russian air strike ahead of new peace talks this weekend.

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia – 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates – 🇸🇩 Sudan • Saudi Arabia says it is ready to buy Sudanese gold, a market previously dominated by the United Arab Emirates, as political and trade tensions rise between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. The Sudanese government, in conflict with the RSF, is seeking new official outlets. In 2024, nearly $2 billion worth of gold was shipped to the Emirates.

🇩🇪 Germany • Chancellor Friedrich Merz says that preliminary discussions are underway between European countries on extending their nuclear deterrent, complementing the American umbrella, with no decision imminent. Berlin points out that it is prohibited from developing nuclear weapons under its treaties, but may explore joint solutions with France and the United Kingdom.

🇩🇪 Germany • Berlin plans to develop a space-based missile detection system to reduce European dependence on US capabilities, currently provided through NATO, according to the German Space Command. The project is intended to be national but open to European cooperation, with a focus on early warning and interception. Germany has already made massive investments in military space and is aiming for rapid operational capability in the face of new ballistic threats.

🇳🇬 Nigeria • The Nigerian authorities are stepping up security contacts with foreign partners, with recent visits by American and French military officials to Abuja to the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, and the signing of nine bilateral agreements with Turkey, including one on defence.

🇩🇿 Algeria – 🇳🇪 Niger • Expected oil revenues are bringing Algiers and Niamey closer together after several months of tension between Algeria and the countries of the AES (Alliance of Sahel States). A high-level Algerian delegation was received by General Abdourahamane Tiani, with a message of support from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The two states are moving forward with the exploitation of the Kafra oil field, for which they share a licence, while Algiers is also pushing ahead with the trans-Saharan gas pipeline project with Nigeria, which is still unfinished on the Nigerien side.

🇮🇹 Italy • Agents from the US ICE's Homeland Security Investigations division will not be patrolling during the Winter Olympics in Milan, following political controversy in Italy. The US Ambassador to Rome has clarified that their role will be strictly advisory and focused on intelligence, particularly against cybercrime and transnational threats, with security operations remaining under the control of the Italian authorities.

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