Hard Numbers

Hard numbers: Hamas seeks new role for its forces in Gaza, New estimate of Russian casualties in Ukraine, Rwanda sues the UK, & More

​Fighters of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, attend a rally marking the 35th anniversary of the group's foundation in Gaza City on December 14, 2022.
Fighters of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, attend a rally marking the 35th anniversary of the group's foundation in Gaza City on December 14, 2022.
Photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto

10,000: The number of Hamas officers that the militant group reportedly wants to incorporate into the US-backed Palestinian administration for Gaza, in the form of a police force. This move could act as a workaround for Hamas’ disarmament, which is a key condition of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. Israel will likely oppose this move, especially if it allows the militant group to maintain its weapons.

1.2 million: The number of reported Russians casualties so far in the war in Ukraine, according to a new estimate from the Center for Strategic and International Studies. This includes all those killed, wounded, and missing. The Russian death toll since the full-scale war began in February 2022 is now 325,000, per the study.

£100 million: That’s the amount that Rwanda is seeking from the United Kingdom after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer axed a scheme – one organized by former UK PM Boris Johnson – that involved sending asylum seekers to the East African country. Kigali contends that London broke the terms of the deal. The previous UK government spent £700 million on the scheme.

600: The number of political prisoners still held in Venezuela. After the US ousted Nicolás Maduro, Caracas released around 260 people. But it’s unclear what happens to those still behind bars. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to testify today before Congress on the Trump administration’s plans for Venezuela.

More For You

- YouTube

In this episode of ask ian, Ian Bremmer explains why Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky enters his latest White House meeting with President Trump in a stronger position than he did just a few months ago.

Competitive pay. 401(k) contributions upon employment and 6% company match once eligible. Up to 16 weeks of combined paid maternity and parental leave. These benefits and more inspire generations – Daidrian’s 18-year Walmart journey motivated her son Jonothan to launch his own career as a Walmart associate. Learn more.

Last week, Microsoft joined more than 100 companies to publish an open letter on the importance of open-weight AI models in expanding access to AI and giving organizations greater control over the technology they use. The paper draws parallels to the open-source software movement, positioning open-weight models as an important foundation for a broad and competitive AI ecosystem while emphasizing the need for responsible safeguards. Read the letter here.