Women and children are main victims in Gaza war, says UN

Palestinians walk through destruction from an Israeli bombardment in the Nusseirat refugee camp in Gaza Strip on Friday (Adel Hana/AP)

Women and children are the main victims the Gaza war with 16,000 killed and an estimated two mothers losing their lives every hour since Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, according to the UN agency promoting gender equality.

UN Women said at least 3,000 women may have become widows and heads of households and at least 10,000 children may have lost their fathers.

Friday’s report said of the territory’s 2.3 million population, 1.9 million are displaced and “close to one million are women and girls” seeking shelter and safety.

Israeli soldiers overlook the Gaza Strip from a tank (Maya Alleruzzo/AP)

UN Women’s executive director Sima Bahous said this is “a cruel inversion” of fighting during the 15 years before the Hamas attack on October 7 when 67% of all civilians killed in Gaza and the West Bank were men and less then 14% were women.

She echoed UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres’ calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages taken captive in Israel on October 7.

“However much we mourn the situation of the women and girls of Gaza today, we will mourn further tomorrow without unrestricted humanitarian assistance and an end to the destruction and killing,” she said in a statement accompanying the report.

“These women and girls are deprived of safety, medicine, health care and shelter. They face imminent starvation and famine. Most of all they are deprived of hope and justice.”

Ms Bahous said UN Women had heard “shocking accounts of unconscionable sexual violence during the attacks” by Hamas and she echoed UN calls for accountability, justice and support for all those affected.

This is a time for peace. We owe this to all Israeli and Palestinian women and girls. This is not their conflict. They must no longer pay its price.

Despite escalating hostilities in Gaza, the agency said women-led and women’s rights organisations continue to operate. It found that 83% of women’s organisations surveyed in the Gaza Strip are at least partially operational, mainly focusing on the emergency response to the war.

But UN Women said its analysis of funding from last year’s flash appeal for Gaza found that just 0.09% of funding went directly to national or local women’s rights organisations.

Mr Bahous said there is a need for much more aid to get to Gaza, especially to women and children, and for an end to the war.

“This is a time for peace,” she said. “We owe this to all Israeli and Palestinian women and girls. This is not their conflict. They must no longer pay its price.”