The claim that after Israelis, the highest number of soldiers killed by Hamas were Indian nationals is fake. Multiple X accounts posted the following claim.
Fact Check
After investigating this viral claim, the DFRAC team found an article by The Hindustan Times that included official statements from Indian authorities. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha in a written response that only 2 were reported dead and 3 were injured during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Further investigation reveals some facts: One person was killed in an attack “from Lebanon” in March 2024, and another in Gaza in May 2024. One Indian national was injured in rocket fire from Gaza on October 7, 2023, while two others were injured in an attack from Lebanon in March 2024. The origin of 4 out of 5 cases was specified by the Indian officials. The origin of the death of Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (retd), working for the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS), was not mentioned. The link for the official document.
Conclusion
The claim that after Israelis, the highest number of soldiers killed by Hamas were Indian nationals is fake. According to the official statements made by the Indian authorities, only 5 Indian nationals were harmed during this Israel-Hamas conflict; 2 were reported dead, and 3 were injured.
