Nearly 50,000 women and girls killed or maimed in Gaza since October 2023: UN Women
Nearly 50,000 women and girls killed or maimed in Gaza since October 2023: UN Women
Nearly 50,000 Gaza women and girls have been killed or severely injured since October 2023, equivalent to one in every 21 women and girls in the enclave, UN Women said on Friday. The agency urged full implementation of the ceasefire, respect for international law and accountability for violations.
“More than 38,000 killed and 11,700 left with injuries so severe that they now live with lifelong disabilities,” Sofia Calltorp, UN Women’s chief of humanitarian action, told reporters in Geneva.
She said most casualties occurred during the first two years of the war, but violence has continued despite the ceasefire agreement entering into effect a year ago, with 277 women and girls killed since October 2025.
Gaza women and girls bear the brunt of displacement
Nearly one million women and girls have been forced from their homes, while almost all remain displaced, many living in tents or among the ruins of their homes, Calltorp said.
She warned that the number of female-headed households has doubled, with women now heading one in four households in Gaza. Funding cuts have severely weakened women’s organisations, with 13 of the 14 surveyed reporting they can no longer meet growing needs.
All surveyed organisations reported increases in gender-based violence, poverty and mental health distress since 2025, while 13 reported rising child marriage.
“What we have found is a horrific amount of collective suffering, an immense amount of pain, and a level of resilience and strength that no woman should have to bear,” Calltorp said.
UN Women demands ceasefire compliance and accountability
UN Women called for full implementation of the ceasefire, respect for international law and accountability for violations. The agency’s findings add to a growing body of documentation on the war’s toll on civilians, with women and children accounting for a large share of the casualties recorded by Gaza health authorities since the conflict began in October 2023.
The report comes as humanitarian agencies continue to warn that aid flows into Gaza remain far below what is needed, and that the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools has left the strip’s civilian infrastructure in ruins.
Frequently asked questions
What did UN Women report about Gaza?
UN Women said on Friday that nearly 50,000 women and girls, one in every 21 in Gaza, have been killed or severely injured since October 2023. More than 38,000 were killed and 11,700 were left with lifelong disabilities.
Has the violence continued despite the ceasefire?
Yes. Although most casualties occurred in the war’s first two years, UN Women said 277 women and girls have been killed since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.
What is the humanitarian situation for women in Gaza?
Nearly one million women and girls have been displaced, female-headed households have doubled to one in four, and women’s organisations report rising gender-based violence, poverty, mental health distress and child marriage.
What did UN Women call for?
The agency called for full implementation of the ceasefire, respect for international law and accountability for violations.
