OMM Redaksiyası
Nearly 50,000 women and girls have been killed or severely injured in Gaza since October 2023, equal to one in every 21 women and girls in the enclave, UN Women said on Friday.
More than 38,000 have been killed and 11,700 sustained injuries so severe that they now live with lifelong disabilities, Sofia Calltorp, the agency’s chief of humanitarian action, told reporters in Geneva.
Most casualties occurred during the first two years of the war, Calltorp said. Violence has continued despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect a year ago, with 277 women and girls killed since October 2025.
Nearly one million women and girls have been forced from their homes, and almost all remain displaced. Many are living in tents or amid the ruins of their homes, she said.
The number of female-headed households has doubled, with women now heading one in four households in Gaza, Calltorp said.
Funding cuts have severely weakened women’s organizations: 13 of the 14 surveyed said they could no longer meet growing needs.
All surveyed organizations reported increases in gender-based violence, poverty and mental health distress since 2025, while 13 reported a rise in child marriage.
UN Women called for the full implementation of the ceasefire, respect for international law and accountability for violations.
“What we have found is a horrific amount of collective suffering, an immense amount of pain, and a level of resilience and strength that no woman should have to bear,” Calltorp said.
