UN Human Rights Office: 70% of Gaza Deaths Are Women and Children

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the unprecedented number of civilians killed in the Gaza war and labeled it a crime against humanity and 'genocide.' This report, published on Friday, November 9, states that nearly 70% of the thousands killed in the Gaza conflict are women and children. The report also accuses the extremist group Hamas and other armed groups of widespread human rights violations, including hostage-taking, murder, torture, and sexual violence. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. The UN Human Rights Office warned that since the start of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, many violations of international law have occurred, many of which could be classified as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and 'genocide,' emphasizing the need for international efforts to prevent these 'horrific crimes' and ensure accountability. According to this UN agency, 'civilians in Gaza, including due to the complete initial blockade of Gaza by Israeli forces, have suffered the most from these attacks, and the actions of Israeli forces have caused an unprecedented wave of killings, injuries, hunger, disease, and death.' The report also condemns the destruction of civilian infrastructure, widespread displacement, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Israeli mission to the UN in Geneva strongly rejected this report, calling it 'a manifestation of the inherent hostility of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights towards Israel.' Ajit Singh, the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Palestinian territories, states that the outlook in Gaza is a ruin where survivors suffer from injuries, homelessness, and hunger. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, investigations show that about 80% of the approximately 43,500 confirmed casualties in the Gaza war resulted from Israeli army attacks on residential buildings. These findings raise concerns about adherence to the principle of distinction between civilians and combatants and efforts to minimize civilian casualties. Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, concluded the report by urging all countries to act to stop violations of international law and ensure accountability. He stated that violence must cease immediately, and hostages and detainees must be released. Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza 'will resume in the coming days.' In recent months, the efforts of mediators, including the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, to resume ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and secure the release of hostages have been fruitless. Since the onset of the war in Gaza in mid-October last year, violent clashes and Israeli army attacks on occupied areas of the West Bank have also increased. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had previously described the scale of Israel's extensive military operations in the West Bank as unprecedented in the last two decades.