UN Report Highlights Civilian Casualties in Gaza, Nearly 70% Women and Children

A UN analysis reports that close to 70% of the casualties from the Gaza war are women and children, raising concerns over potential violations of international humanitarian law and calling for accountability among warring parties.

The United Nations' Human Rights Office has released a troubling report indicating that nearly 70% of the verified war casualties in Gaza over a six-month period are women and children. According to the analysis, approximately 44% of the fatalities were children, while 26% were women. The UN attributes this alarming statistic to the use of weaponry with wide-area effects in densely populated regions predominantly by Israeli forces, although it acknowledges that some harm resulted from errant fire by Palestinian armed groups.

The report, which verified the deaths of 8,119 individuals from November 2023 to April 2024, notes that a staggering 80% of the victims were killed in residential areas. The findings emphasize "unprecedented" violations of international law, producing serious concerns about war crimes and other potential atrocities.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk emphasized the critical need for accountability and adherence to fundamental international humanitarian principles – namely, distinguishing between combatants and civilians, ensuring proportionality in attacks, and taking precautionary measures during warfare. The report highlights what it describes as a glaring disregard for civilian safety amid the conflict and points toward serious implications for both parties involved.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have historically stated that they target Hamas and employ precision in military operations to minimize civilian casualties. However, contrasting reports from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reveal that over 43,300 people have perished in the conflict over the past 13 months, with one in three categorized as children. This raises serious questions about the realities on the ground and the humanitarian crisis unfolding.

The situation in northern Gaza is particularly dire, marked by a siege that has halted food aid, subsequently leading the United States to issue an ultimatum to Israel regarding the humanitarian situation. Aid workers describe scenes of widespread destruction and despair, highlighting that children and women disproportionately bear the brunt of the ongoing conflict.

The current military offensive by Israel commenced following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 fatalities and numerous hostages. As international scrutiny mounts, calls for a reevaluation of military conduct and humanitarian considerations grow increasingly pressing.