Palestinian Ministry Says 12,298 Women Died As A Result Of Israeli Aggression In Gaza Strip

JAKARTA - The Palestinian Ministry of Women's Affairs released a comprehensive report to commemorate International Women's Day, highlighting the severe impact and extent of Israel's military aggression against Palestinian women in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and diaspora.

According to the report, the ongoing aggression in Gaza has had a very bad impact on women, with 12,298 women losing their lives as a result of Israeli air and military attacks, quoted from WAFA 10 March.

In addition, 928 Palestinians, including women and children, have died in the West Bank, since the outbreak of the war, the report continued.

The report further states that about 1 million women in Gaza have forcibly displaced, and a total of 1.2 million people, including many women and children, have lost their homes.

This mass refugee has left women vulnerable to poverty, violence, and lack of access to basic services.

The report also highlights a severe economic crisis, especially for women in Gaza. The unemployment rate among women has jumped by 95 percent, compared to 67.6 percent before the war.

In addition, 91 percent of Gaza's population or about 1.84 million people are now facing severe food insecurity, with 96 percent of infants under the age of six suffering from acute malnutrition.

Not only that, about 90 percent of women are pregnant and breastfeeding in the Palestinian enclave do not have access to adequate nutrition.

The temporary suspension of services by the UN aid agency for Palestine UNRWA has also seized essential health services for 41,571 Palestinian women.

The report also noted that 22,835 people with disabilities in Gaza, including many women, do not have access to the necessary health services and psychological support.

The impact on children is also as severe. The closure of schools and the temporary suspension of UNRWA education services have seized education for 324,000 Palestinian students, including 278,000 in Gaza.

In terms of physical infrastructure, the report noted that 87,000 housing units had been completely destroyed in Gaza, with 297,000 partially damaged. The widespread destruction has left thousands of women homeless.

The report also states that food prices in Gaza have skyrocketed to 309.4 percent, making it almost impossible for many families to meet basic needs.

The report also highlights the situation in the West Bank and Jerusalem, where 21.6 percent of the population in refugee camps live in poverty, with 6 percent of them in extreme poverty.

Meanwhile, 41.6 percent of Palestinian families in Jerusalem depend on the Israeli economy for income, making them vulnerable to economic instability.

Separately, health authorities in Gaza on Sunday confirmed the death toll in the region since the latest conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, had reached 48,458, while the number of injured victims reached 111,897 people.