UN Report: Women and Girls Comprise Over Half of Gaza Death Toll

The report provides a grim breakdown of the humanitarian crisis, confirming at least 22,000 women and 16,000 girls among the dead. Sofia Calltorp, chief of humanitarian action at UN Women, stated that the war has disrupted every facet of daily existence, with the most devastating outcome manifesting in the sheer volume of casualties. Beyond the immediate loss of life, nearly one million women and girls have faced repeated displacement, while approximately 790,000 are currently enduring catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

While Israeli and U.S. officials maintain that the military operations target Hamas fighters, human rights observers contest these claims. Ramy Abdul, chairman of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, argued that the data confirms over 90% of victims are innocent civilians. Despite a ceasefire in place since October 2025, the report notes that 730 residents have still perished over the last six months due to the collapse of local infrastructure and limited access to essential healthcare. Amid this, violence has escalated in the West Bank, where veteran Israeli journalist Ron Ben-Yishai recently characterized settler actions as resembling ethnic cleansing.