An average of at least 47 women and girls were killed each day during the war in Gaza, according to new figures released by UN Women.
The agency said more than 38,000 women and girls died between October 2023 and December 2025, including at least 22,000 women and 16,000 girls.
Speaking in Geneva, Sofia Calltorp, head of humanitarian action at the agency, said the scale of the loss is striking. She noted that women and girls made up a much higher share of deaths than in previous conflicts in Gaza.
“These were people with lives and dreams,” she said. “They were mothers, daughters, sisters and friends, deeply loved by those around them.”
The report also warns that killings have continued even after a ceasefire agreed in October. The truce brought an end to two years of full-scale fighting between Hamas and Israel, but violence has not stopped entirely.
Local medics say more than 750 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire, while militants have killed four Israeli soldiers. Both sides have accused each other of breaching the agreement.
UN Women said it does not yet know how many of those killed since the ceasefire are women or girls, due to a lack of detailed data.
The impact goes beyond deaths. Nearly 11,000 women and girls have been injured, many with life-changing disabilities. The true number of casualties may be higher, as many bodies are still believed to be buried under rubble.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed overall since October 2023, with over 170,000 injured.
The war has created a long-term humanitarian crisis. Around one million women and girls have been displaced, often living in difficult and unsafe conditions.
Many families are now led by women, who face rising financial pressure and increased risks to their safety.
Damage to roads, hospitals and other services has made daily life much harder. Access to healthcare is especially limited. Figures from the World Health Organisation show that more than 500,000 women cannot access basic services, including care during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Calltorp said the situation leaves many without even the most basic support. “It is almost impossible for women and girls in Gaza to meet their essential needs,” she said.
The crisis is also affecting children. UNICEF reported that at least 214 children have been killed in the past six months alone.
The figures highlight the ongoing human cost of the conflict, even as large-scale fighting has eased.
UN Women is calling for full respect for the ceasefire, as well as adherence to international law and a significant increase in humanitarian aid.
The agency stressed that women and girls must be at the centre of recovery and peace efforts.
It continues to work on the ground in Gaza alongside women-led and women’s rights organisations. Together with UN partners and aid groups, it aims to deliver life-saving support and ensure women are included in decision-making and rebuilding.
Despite a reduction in large-scale fighting, the figures show that the impact of the war is far from over, particularly for women and girls trying to rebuild their lives.
Three Latvian climbers have died after falling on Mount McKinley in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, authorities and a Latvian climbing o...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30Â May, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Voting has begun in Malta’s parliamentary election, with opinion polls suggesting the ruling Labour Party is on course to win a fourth consecutive t...
The United Nations (UN) added Israel and Russia to a blacklist of parties suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence on Friday (29 May)....
A centuries-old floral tradition is being prepared in the English village of Castleton, where the Garland King will lead a ceremonial procession throu...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30Â May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United Nations (UN) added Israel and Russia to a blacklist of parties suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence on Friday (29 May). The move prompted Israel to announce it would sever ties with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
A centuries-old floral tradition is being prepared in the English village of Castleton, where the Garland King will lead a ceremonial procession through the Peak District wearing a large flower-covered structure weighing up to 40 kilograms.
A Canadian man accused of selling sodium nitrite and suicide-related items online to people in multiple countries pleaded guilty on 29 May to aiding the suicides of 14 people in Ontario, after prosecutors said recent legal rulings made murder charges impossible to pursue.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
France will become the first country in the European Union to reimburse anti-obesity drugs through its public healthcare system, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced on Thursday (28 May).
The trial of a 21-year-old accused of planning an Islamist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna entered its final day on Thursday (28 May), with a verdict expected later in the evening.
A renewed wave of U.S. diplomatic activity in the South Caucasus highlights Washington’s growing focus on regional connectivity, trade and security, according to Associate Professor George Mchedlishvili of European University in Tbilisi.
Kyrgyzstan has signed a series of cooperation agreements with China and Belarus at the Fifth Forum of Regional Leaders of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states, underlining the country's growing economic engagement within the regional bloc.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment