Former Israeli Army Chief Herzl Halevi Admits Over 200,000 Casualties in Gaza

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Former Israeli Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi has stated that more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured since the beginning of the war in Gaza. His remarks mark the first time a senior Israeli figure has publicly cited figures that align with those released by Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported 64,718 Palestinians killed and more than 163,859 injured, while thousands remain unaccounted for under rubble. Halevi’s estimate corresponds to roughly 10 percent of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, a figure that underscores the heavy toll of the ongoing conflict.

Speaking at a community meeting in the Israeli settlement of Ein HaBesor, Halevi described the operations in Gaza as uncompromising. “This isn’t a gentle war. We took the gloves off from the first minute,” he said. Halevi also suggested that Israel should have acted more forcefully in Gaza even before October 7.

Halevi told the gathering that during 17 months of operations in Gaza, not once did legal advisors restrict military decisions. He noted that international law is “very important for the state of Israel,” but added that military lawyers had never intervened to stop operational actions. “Not once has anyone restricted me. They will know how to defend this legally in the world,” he said.

Halevi’s comments are likely to intensify global debates over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. While Israel has maintained that its operations target militant groups, international organizations have repeatedly highlighted the severe impact on civilians. The acknowledgment of such a high casualty figure by a former top Israeli military official adds weight to concerns raised by humanitarian agencies.