IDF exposes Hamas ‘starvation campaign’: Most alleged ‘malnutrition’ deaths were caused by pre-existing conditions

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday released new information indicating that reports of widespread starvation in the Gaza Strip are part of a concerted campaign by the Hamas terrorist organization, aiming to increase international pressure on Israel.

“Hamas’s ‘Starvation Campaign’ is a coordinated effort to mislead the public,” the IDF wrote on 𝕏.

“A thorough review by the defense establishment exposes how Hamas is misrepresenting deaths from pre-existing medical conditions as malnutrition to advance their political agenda.”

In recent weeks, the Hamas-led Gaza Health Ministry has reported a sharp rise in the number of deaths by starvation, while media outlets published horrific pictures of children who were allegedly severely malnourished.

Hamas's "Starvation Campaign" is a coordinated effort to mislead the public.

➡️A thorough review by the defense establishment exposes how Hamas is misrepresenting deaths from pre-existing medical conditions as malnutrition to advance their political agenda.

➡️For instance, in… pic.twitter.com/LxeXCPx68D

— COGAT (@cogatonline) August 12, 2025

According to the IDF and Israel's COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories), an in-depth investigation of Hamas’ claims “revealed a significant gap between the number of deaths reportedly caused by malnutrition… and the number of such cases that were documented and publicly identified in media and social networks.”

The review showed that starting in July, there was a noticeable rise in reported deaths due to malnutrition, with the claimed number for July (133) more than doubling the claimed number of such cases for the entire duration of the war (66).

However, the Gaza Health Ministry stopped releasing the names of the dead, as it had done before, with only several personal identities of alleged deaths being published by media outlets. “The inconsistency between the statistical reports and the personal reports casts doubt on their credibility,” the IDF wrote.

❗️🧵EXPOSED: Hamas' "Starvation Campaign" has been debunked by an in-depth IDF review. Misleading publication of malnutrition data & images of patients with pre-existing conditions have been used to discredit Israel and achieve political gains.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health claims… pic.twitter.com/MVIuQEU0az

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 12, 2025

The investigation also showed several more examples of children with genetic diseases, whose pictures were used to accuse Israel of intentional starvation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented three such examples during a press conference this week.

The IDF and COGAT presented two more examples. The first are pictures of four-year-old Abdullah Hani Muhammad Abu Zarqa.

“A COGAT review found that he suffers from a genetic disease causing vitamin and mineral deficiencies, osteoporosis, and bone thinning – a hereditary illness that also affected other family members.”

“Four months before the outbreak of the war, the child traveled with his mother, with Israeli approval, to receive medical treatment at Al-Makassed Hospital in east Jerusalem,” COGAT stated.

The IDF also said that photos of 27-year-old Karam Khaled Mustafa Al-Jamal were circulated, with reports that he had died from malnutrition.

“The Israeli security system’s review found that Karam had suffered since childhood from muscular dystrophy and partial paralysis, leading to swallowing difficulties. This was a chronic medical condition unrelated to the general nutritional situation in Gaza,” the IDF stated.

The IDF determined that “these documented cases do not represent the general state of the population in the Gaza Strip, but rather selectively portray extreme cases involving underlying illnesses.”

“Hamas cynically exploits tragic images and misuses them for a false and timed propaganda campaign aimed at generating pressure and creating negative public opinion against Israel. We will continue working to improve the humanitarian response in Gaza, in cooperation with the international community, while rejecting allegations of famine in the Gaza Strip,” COGAT vowed.