Almost 70% of those killed in Gaza are women and children, UN reports
Women and children represent “almost 70%” deaths in the Gaza Strip during the period from November 2023 to April 2024, the UN reported on Friday after careful verification of a partial count of the victims of Israel’s war against Hamas.
The new report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also details a wide range of violations of international law, which for many could amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and perhaps even a “genocide”. “Report shows that civilians in Gaza were the most affected by the attacks, especially during the total siege” of the narrow strip of territory by Israeli forces, the UN stressed.
“The behavior of Israeli forces has caused an unprecedented level of deaths, injuries, famine and disease”denounces the report, which also condemns “illegal and persistent violations” of the Israeli government to facilitate access to humanitarian aid, the destruction of civil infrastructure and the repeated massive displacements of the population. Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN human rights office in the Palestinian territories, spoke of a “dystopia of destruction and devastation where survivors are injured, displaced and starving”.
The Israeli embassy to the UN in Geneva has “categorically” rejected the report and “absurd conclusions”denouncing “The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ inherent obsession with demonizing Israel”.
