Israel accepts health authorities’ Gaza death toll is broadly accurate, saying 70,000 have died

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Emma Graham-Harrison in JerusalemJanuary 30, 2026 at 07:06 PM

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Israel's military has acknowledged the Gaza health authorities' death toll as broadly accurate, estimating around 70,000 Palestinians have died in Israeli attacks since October 2023. This marks a shift from previous Israeli officials' claims that dismissed the data as inaccurate. The acknowledgment raises questions about Israel's defense of its Gaza campaign and the credibility of its reporting on civilian casualties. While Israel is still reviewing the civilian-combatant breakdown, the estimated overall death toll is significantly higher than previous claims made by the Israeli government. The Gaza health authorities' database identifies most of the dead by name, date of birth, and ID number, but does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Hamas 30% IDF 30% Times of Israel 30% Haaretz 35% UN 40% Benjamin Netanyahu 40% Palestinians ×270% Israeli military ×475% Gaza Strip ×885% Israel ×1390%

Keywords

gaza death toll 90% israeli attacks 80% gaza health authorities 80% israeli military 70% civilian casualties 70% data accuracy 60% hamas propaganda 50% credibility 50%