Trump Claims Israel Has Killed ‘Probably 70,000’ Hamas Fighters.
In a recent statement, former U.S. President Donald Trump made a striking and unverified assertion regarding the conflict in Gaza, claiming that Israeli forces have “probably” killed 70,000 Hamas militants.
The comment came during a wide-ranging discussion where Trump detailed his perspective on the ongoing war, hostage recovery efforts, and his administration’s past coordination with Israeli officials. Portraying himself as deeply involved, Trump stated, “I knew most of the things they were doing, but they’ve killed probably 70,000 of these people, Hamas.”
He described the aftermath of the fighting in grim terms, focusing on the process of recovering hostages and the deceased. “It’s a gruesome process,” Trump said, noting that teams were “digging” through rubble and tunnel networks. “Some of those bodies have been there a long time… it’s a horrible atrocity.”
On the sensitive issue of hostages, the former president claimed that his administration’s priority had successfully returned all living hostages. “We have the living hostages all back,” he stated, while acknowledging that some individuals remain missing. He also took aim at media reporting, accusing some outlets of “misrepresenting” the number of hostage fatalities and insisting the confirmed death toll was “much lesser” than publicly reported.
Looking forward, Trump reiterated a hardline stance on Hamas’s future, leaving no room for negotiation. “They will disarm,” he declared, adding a stark warning: “if it fails to do so voluntarily, we will disarm them.”
The former president’s specific claim of 70,000 Hamas casualties has immediately drawn attention and skepticism from regional analysts and monitoring groups. This figure has not been verified by any independent international bodies, including the United Nations, which rely on data from the Gaza Health Ministry. The scale of the number has led experts to question its accuracy and sourcing.
Regardless of its verification, the statement show Trump’s continued alignment with Israel’s military objectives and his diplomatic approach, which heavily emphasizes the use of decisive force in the Middle East.
