Kathmandu, Mar 2: United Nations Women’s Program (UN Women) released a report shedding light on the profound toll experienced by women in Gaza amidst the ongoing conflict between the Israeli army and Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic militant group. According to the report, approximately 9,000 women lost their lives in air and ground operations carried out by the Israeli army in response to Hamas’s attacks on Israel. However, the actual number of casualties may be higher, as more women are believed to be trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The report underscores the grim reality faced by Palestinian women, with an average of 63 women losing their lives each day due to the conflict. Many have also endured the loss of other family members, leaving surviving children in a state of profound insecurity.

Of particular concern is the severe impact of the conflict on food security, with over four-fifths of women reporting a significant decrease in the amount of food available to their families. A staggering 84 percent of women in Gaza report that their families have had to skip meals, with 95 percent of mothers making sacrifices to ensure their children are fed.

With Gaza’s population of 2.3 million teetering on the brink of severe food insecurity, urgent action is imperative to address the humanitarian crisis. Women’s organizations in Gaza are playing a critical role in providing essential emergency services and distributing food aid, yet the situation remains dire.

The UN Women’s Program emphasizes the urgent need for a humanitarian ceasefire to prevent further loss of life. They call for an end to the destruction of essential infrastructure and bombings in Gaza, as well as immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the region.