The UN's Human Rights Office condemns the staggering rate of civilian deaths in Gaza, revealing that 70% of verified casualties over six months are women and children, a result of aggressive military actions in densely populated areas.
UN Reports Alarming Civilian Casualties Amid Gaza Conflict
UN Reports Alarming Civilian Casualties Amid Gaza Conflict
Nearly 70% of Gaza's war casualties are identified as women and children, according to the UN's recent findings.
The UN Human Rights Office has issued a grave warning regarding the civil toll in the ongoing Gaza conflict, stating that nearly 70% of verified war casualties over a six-month duration are women and children. Their analysis indicates that approximately 44% of victims were children under the age of 18, while 26% were women. This shocking statistic has raised alarms about potential violations of international humanitarian law.
According to the report, which details the deaths of 8,119 individuals in Gaza from November 2023 to April 2024, much of the civilian harm can be attributed to Israel's usage of weapons designed for wide-area impact in densely populated regions. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have previously contested such claims, asserting their military actions target Hamas specifically and that they employ precise munitions to minimize civilian harm.
The report further highlighted that around 80% of deaths occurred in residential buildings or akin structures, with a disturbing emphasis on children aged five to nine years old. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk criticized the apparent disregard for civilian life in the context of warfare and stressed the need for accountability regarding allegations of serious breaches of international law.
In stark contrast, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has released its own figures, indicating a total death toll exceeding 43,300 individuals over the last 13 months, with a substantial portion thought to be trapped under rubble. Over one-third of those fatalities are reported to be children, reinforcing the UN's concerns.
The humanitarian situation remains dire, particularly in northern Gaza, where siege conditions since early October have severely restricted aid, further compounding the suffering of the local population. Aid organizations have voiced grave concerns about food shortages and the overall devastation of civilian infrastructure.
Highlighting the scale of the destruction, Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, likened the scene in parts of Gaza to the devastation experienced in Stalingrad during World War II, emphasizing that children and women are disproportionately bearing the brunt of this devastating conflict. The ongoing violence follows a significant attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed over 1,200 lives in Israel and has since escalated the military offensive in Gaza.
