Gaza. Women Facing Genocide. Mujeres y genocidio

Gaza, Palestine – Beirut, Lebanon – The Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) has released a detailed report titled "Women Facing Genocide: Health and Care Challenges in Gaza." Based on extensive research, in-depth analysis, and meticulous fieldwork, the report highlights the devastating impact of the ongoing war on women in Gaza. It underscores the war's classification as a crime of genocide against Palestinians, with women being among the most profoundly affected groups.

Gaza women suffering: Alarming statistics

Casualties: Over 10,000 women have lost their lives due to ongoing attacks, with a dramatic rise in the number of widows and displaced individuals. Women and children make up nearly 70% of the victims.

Pregnant Women and Mothers: More than 49,000 pregnant women are enduring dire conditions, including 17,000 at risk of starvation, while 155,000 others face severe challenges in accessing essential medical care.

Hygiene Crisis: Approximately 690,000 women and girls lack access to sanitary pads, heightening the risks of infectious diseases.

Israeli occupation's crimes against women

Direct Targeting: Displaced women are being directly targeted by airstrikes and assaults while seeking refuge.

Arbitrary Detention: Israeli forces have arrested over 142 women, including young girls and infants, under brutal and inhumane conditions.

Women with Disabilities: The number of women with disabilities has increased significantly due to the occupation’s use of internationally prohibited weapons.

Women in Gaza: victims of grave violations

The report highlights that women in Gaza are facing severe violations of international law, with breaches of the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1977 Additional Protocol I, particularly through the lack of protection and the deliberate targeting of hospitals. They are also being denied basic rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), including access to healthcare and reproductive rights. The report further asserts that the systematic policies targeting women may constitute a crime of genocide under Article 6 of the Rome Statute, through the imposition of living conditions that lead to destruction and forced sterilization.

Research Efforts to Document Violations

This report is the result of extensive efforts, including daily monitoring of the field situation, analysis of firsthand testimonies, and a review of official data and international human rights reports. Its objective is to reveal the alarming realities of the targeting of Palestinian women—not only through death and destruction but also by obstructing access to healthcare and reproductive services, which constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The report emphasizes that the targeting of Palestinian women is part of a deliberate, systematic policy aimed at dismantling the Palestinian community.

Urgent Recommendations for Protecting Women in Gaza:

Immediate action to protect women in Gaza, beginning with the deployment of international monitors to ensure their safety and the establishment of secure humanitarian corridors.

International investigations by the International Criminal Court into the systematic crimes committed against women.

Providing medical supplies to support reproductive health and emergency services, as well as launching comprehensive rehabilitation programs for women survivors of the war, addressing both their psychological and social needs.

Global awareness campaign to highlight the suffering of women in Gaza, aiming to rally global solidarity and pressure the occupation authorities to halt the ongoing violations.