The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA) has issued a reminder about the plight of Palestinian women in Gaza on Women’s Day.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees stated that Palestinian women and children are bearing the brunt of the severe food shortages in Gaza.
UNRWA added that conditions are especially severe for pregnant and breast-feeding women, 95 percent of whom face “severe food poverty.”
For every day the war continues, the agency said, an average of 63 women are killed.
Late February, the UN reported that the lack of food in Gaza had thrown nearly all of its 2.2 million inhabitants into “crisis or worse,” marking the “highest percentage of acute food insecurity ever classified.”
The Health Ministry in Gaza announced that 78 people have been killed in eight Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the last 24 hours, increasing the total number of deaths in the enclave since October 7 to 30,878.
The statement on Telegram added that 104 people had been injured by the Israeli army over the past day, raising the total number wounded to 72,402.
“A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, as the occupation prevents ambulance and civil defence crews from reaching them,” the ministry added.
Nonetheless, Chairperson of the board of Directors of Qatar Foundation, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser saluted the women of Gaza as the world marks International Women’s Day.
“On International Women’s Day, we must first and foremost acknowledge the women and girls of Gaza who are teaching the world a lesson in patience, resilience and sacrifice,” he posted on X.
The video attached to the post reviewed the suffering of the Palestinian women as shown in news coverage and UN reports.
UN Rights Commissioner Fears Gaza War Will Worsen
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesman, Jeremy Lawrence stated that any ground attack on Rafah would lead to heavy loss of life and increase the risk of further brutal crimes.
“Today we are entering the sixth month of the brutal conflict and we fear that this catastrophic situation may slide deeper into the abyss,” he said.
He added, “There must be an immediate end to this conflict and the killing and destruction must stop.”
The UN official said that Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law to provide the civilian population of Gaza with the necessary food and medical supplies.
“Border crossings must be fully opened and the necessary steps must be taken to ensure the free and safe movement of aid convoys to civilians wherever they are,” he added.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) also stated that “airdrops, temporary seaports and the like are not realistic or lasting solutions to stave off looming famine and sustain life in Gaza.”
“Five months on, it is long past time for the US, the UK and others to use their substantial weight to ensure that their ally Israel immediately reopens land crossings into Gaza,” MAP CEO, Melanie Ward told a news agency.
Ward added, “Only an immediate and lasting ceasefire will allow us to deliver the massive humanitarian response that is required after five months of Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment and siege of the people of Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Mustafa al-Kahlout, Director of Al Nassr Pediatric Hospital in Gaza City, disclosed that the little aid that has so far trickled into Gaza is “dust in the eyes”, as the quantities delivered by trucks and airdrops are insufficient to address even the most basic needs of the population.
“The aid is only formal,” al-Kahlout added.
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