Over 10,000 women killed in Gaza, says UN agency

By Anadolu staff

More than 10,000 women were killed in the ongoing Israeli onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Friday.

In a statement, the agency said: “The war in Gaza continues to be a war on women.”

“Over 10,000 women have been killed and 19,000 injured,” it added.

The agency also said: “37 children lose their mother every single day.”

It stressed that “conditions are appalling,” noting that “over 155,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women faced with severely limited access to water and sanitary items.”

Israel has for over half a year waged a war on Gaza that has resulted in widespread death and destruction in the coastal enclave.

More than 34,600 Palestinians have since been killed and over 77,800 injured. The vast majority of the dead have been women and children. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

Israel also is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Israel's actions amount to genocide, and ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit such acts, and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi