Press release
Geneva – May 7, 2024
UN experts strongly denounced the relentless and systemic violence inflicted upon Palestinians in Gaza, particularly targeting women and children over the past seven months. The experts expressed horror at the recent discovery of mass graves in the Gaza Strip, with over 390 bodies unearthed at Nasser and Al Shifa hospitals, including women and children bearing signs of torture, summary executions, and potential instances of being buried alive.
According to the experts, the conflict has resulted in devastating losses, with 34,488 Palestinians killed, including 14,500 children and 9,500 women, as of April 29, 2024. Another 77,643 individuals have been injured, predominantly females.
Furthermore, over 8,000 people are missing or trapped under rubble, with an estimated half being women and children. Disturbingly, 63 women, including 37 mothers, are reportedly killed daily, and 17,000 Palestinian children have been orphaned since the conflict’s onset.
The humanitarian crisis extends to 1.7 million internally displaced persons, and projections suggest 1.1 million will face catastrophic food insecurity. Additionally, numerous women and girls have allegedly been forcibly disappeared by the Israeli military, which also destroyed Gaza’s largest fertility clinic, jeopardizing 3,000 embryos.
The treatment of pregnant and lactating women is described as appalling due to hospital bombings, restricted access to healthcare facilities by Israeli forces, and severe shortages of medical resources, endangering 50,000 pregnant women and 20,000 newborns. Shockingly, 183 women daily give birth without pain relief, and countless babies have perished due to power shortages affecting incubators.
Women in labor endure horrific circumstances amid widespread destruction of housing and precarious living conditions, which disproportionately impact their security and privacy.
The experts highlighted the appalling case of an infant delivered posthumously after her mother was killed in an Israeli attack, underscoring the extreme violence faced by women and children.
Reports of sexual assault and violence against women and girls, including those detained by Israeli forces, persist without adequate investigation by the Israeli government.
In response, the experts urged Israel to cease hostilities immediately and demanded an end to the export of weapons used against civilians. They emphasized the imperative of upholding international humanitarian and human rights laws to protect women and children in conflict zones.
In conclusion, the UN experts condemned the escalating violence against Palestinian women and children in Gaza, calling for urgent international action to address the humanitarian crisis and uphold fundamental human rights.
