Six months into the relentless conflict in Gaza, UN Women paints a harrowing picture of the war's disproportionate impact on women and girls. 

A new report titled "Scarcity and Fear" lays bare the devastating consequences, revealing that over 10,000 Palestinian women have been killed, with an estimated 6,000 mothers among them. This tragic loss leaves a staggering 19,000 children orphaned, highlighting the war's cruel disruption of families.

The report goes beyond the grim statistics, delving into the daily struggles of those who remain.  Over one million Palestinian women and girls in Gaza are facing a desperate fight for survival due to a lack of basic necessities.  Scarcity of food and safe drinking water threatens to push them into the clutches of starvation and disease.  The lack of functioning toilets and running water creates unsanitary living conditions, further jeopardizing their health and well-being.

The report emphasizes a crucial yet often overlooked issue: access to feminine hygiene products. UN Women estimates that nearly 7 million menstrual hygiene products are needed each month to meet the needs of 690,000 women and girls in Gaza.  Limited access to these essential supplies not only poses health risks but also undermines women and girls' dignity and privacy.  

"In Gaza, we [women] cannot meet our simplest and most basic needs," said a Gazan woman quoted in the report.  "Eating well, drinking safe water, accessing a toilet, having (sanitary) pads, taking a shower... changing our clothes..." 

Susanne Mikhail, Regional Director of UN Women for the Arab States, echoed this sentiment during a media briefing in Geneva.  "More than ten thousand women have been killed so far, of which an estimated six thousand are mothers. Women who have survived the bombing are suffering daily starvation, sickness, and constant fear. The war in Gaza is no doubt a war on women, who are paying a heavy price for a war not of their making," she stated.

UN Women joins the chorus of voices calling for an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2728 (2024).  This resolution demands an immediate end to the hostilities, the release of all hostages, and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

Despite the complex situation, UN Women, working alongside Palestinian women's organizations and other humanitarian partners, has strived to deliver essential supplies.  Nearly 100,000 women and their families have received food, blankets, winter clothes, hygiene kits, and other critical items.  However, UN Women acknowledges that this is just a drop in the bucket compared to the immense needs on the ground.  They reiterate the message delivered at the recent Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68): women and girls must be at the forefront of any comprehensive humanitarian response.

The situation in Gaza demands urgent international attention.  UN Women's report serves as a stark reminder of the war's devastating impact on women and girls, urging the international community to take immediate action to secure a ceasefire, facilitate humanitarian access, and prioritize the needs of those most vulnerable in this protracted conflict. (ILKHA)