Analysis of Gaza Health Ministry's 2025 Death Figures Disputes Famine Claims

LifeZette reports on an analysis by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, which argues that 2025 mortality figures from Gaza's Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health conflict with claims of genocide and famine.

Key points

• Total deaths: The ministry reported 24,650 deaths in Gaza in 2025, of which 18,870 were violent and 5,780 were classified as nonviolent or indirect.
• Sex breakdown: Of those deaths, 18,085 (73.4%) were men and 6,565 (26.6%) were female. The council says this challenges the claim that women and children made up 70% of casualties.
• Famine threshold: According to the analysis, the famine standard used by the U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) would have required at least 8,600 indirect deaths, well above the 5,780 recorded for all of 2025.
• Population: The council found Gaza's population grew 1.2% in 2025 and that nonviolent deaths were lower than in 2022, a year with 6,061 recorded deaths that LifeZette says was elevated by COVID.
• Data caveat: The council cautions that the ministry has a history of unreliable and skewed data, but says even its own numbers contradict major accusations against Israel.

Quick take

As LifeZette reports it, the council's view is that the figures "absolutely rule out" the IPC's 2025 claim that major parts of Gaza faced famine. The outlet also cites an open letter from more than 75 military professionals rejecting the genocide allegation.

Read the full story at LifeZette.