On International Women’s Day, Gaza’s Health Ministry says “the silence of the international community has contributed to the genocide of Palestinian women.”
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, the UN relief and works agency, UNRWA, has revealed that on average, 63 women are killed in the Gaza Strip each day.
At the same time, Gaza’s Health Ministry said close to 9,000 Palestinian women have been killed since Israel launched its genocidal assault on the besieged enclave.
“The silence of the international community has contributed to the genocide of Palestinian women,” Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement on Thursday.
He added that “60,000 pregnant women in Gaza suffer from malnutrition, dehydration and a lack of proper health care.”
While this year’s theme for the Day on March 8 is ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress,” UNRWA said that on this day, “the women in Gaza continue to endure this brutal war.”
“At least 9,000 women have been killed, many more are under the rubble,” the agency stated on X on Friday.
On #InternationalWomensDay, the women in #Gaza continue to endure the consequences of this brutal war.
‼️ At least 9,000 women have been killed, many more are under the rubble.
‼️ On average, 63 women are killed in #Gaza per day – 37 are mothers who leave their families behind.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) March 8, 2024
Of the “63 women” who are killed per day “37 are mothers who leave behind their families.”
Al-Qudra noted that Palestinian women, particularly in Gaza, are experiencing the worst humanitarian catastrophe “of killing, displacement, arrest, miscarriage, epidemics and death from hunger as a result of the Israeli aggression.”
He urged the United Nations to work for “an immediate halt of the Israeli aggression and genocide” and also called on “international women’s organizations to mobilize efforts to end the Israeli aggression” on Gaza.
Paying a Heavy Price
Gaza’s Government Media Office in a statement on Friday said Israel has “killed 8,900 Palestininian women during the genocide and injured more than 23,000 with 2,100 missing and over half a million displaced.”
“Palestinian women continue to pay a heavy price for freedom and dignity,” the Office stated.
“This global day comes to the Palestinian women, especially in the Gaza Strip, as a real example of women’s humilitation, killing, shooting, torture and forced displacement rather than honoring and elevating them,” it said.
The Office said it saluted “the steadfastness” of Palestinian women under “the conditions of the genocide waged by the occupation.”
“We hold the American administration, the international community and all relevant international organizations fully responsible for …the harsh conditions imposed upon them by the occupation, with the world participating and with others remaining silent on this catastrophe.”
The Office demanded action to be taken to save Palestinian women from “the ongoing crimes” committed by Israel.
63 Women Killed in Gaza Every Day – Israel’s Genocide Continues
A steep rise in malnutrition among children and pregnant and breastfeeding women in the Gaza Strip poses grave threats to their health, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said last month.
Citing a comprehensive new analysis released by the Global Nutrition Cluster, UNICEF said food and safe water have become incredibly scarce and diseases are rife.
This is “compromising women and children’s nutrition and immunity and resulting in a surge of acute malnutrition,” UNICEF stated.
Staggering Death Toll
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 30,878 Palestinians have been killed, and 72,402 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
‘My Husband Went to Buy Bread’ – Palestine Chronicle Speaks to Bereaved Gaza Women
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire.’
(PC, Anadolu)
