Gaza – 47 women and girls are killed every day in a war that “reshaped the structure of Palestinian families”

A report issued today, Friday, by the Commission showed that 22,000 women and 16,000 girls were killed between October 2023 and December 2025, as a result of aerial bombardment and Israeli ground military operations.

The report added that despite the announcement of a ceasefire last October, reports indicate that the killings of women and girls have continued in recent months, which confirms that the threats to their lives still exist.

While presenting the report to journalists in Geneva, Sophia Kaltorp, Head of the Humanitarian Action Section at UN Women, stressed that the victims are more than just numbers. “They were mothers, daughters, sisters and friends, deeply loved by those around them. They were individuals with their own lives and dreams.”

In addition to the shocking death toll, the report indicated that nearly 11,000 women and girls were left with lifelong disabilities. The report also noted that the actual number of victims is likely to be higher, given that many bodies are still under the rubble, while the collapse of health information systems has greatly restricted the process of documenting deaths and injuries.

This is war, Kaltorp said “It reshaped the structure of families” Women support tens of thousands of families now that they have lost their husbands, and they are “leaving their families without income, without support, and without the ability to access basic services.”

The failure of humanity, not the law

She stressed that the severe damage to infrastructure has made it almost impossible for women and girls in Gaza to obtain their basic needs, such as health care.

She also noted that the situation has been exacerbated by the recent military escalation in the Middle East region, as the closure of crossings and restrictions on humanitarian access have further restricted access to life-saving support.

The UN official stressed the need to respect international law, impose accountability for committed violations, and ensure protection for women and girls.

She added that humanitarian aid must reach those in need on a large scale and without any obstacles, and that women and girls must be “at the heart of response and recovery efforts.”

She concluded her speech by saying: “International humanitarian and human rights law have not failed. Rather, the failure lies with those who choose to ignore these laws, in those with the power to enforce them, and in the profound lack of humanity that has allowed this horror in Gaza to continue.”