UN Women estimates that more than 28,000 women and girls have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war in October 2023 - that is one woman and one girl on average killed every hour in attacks by Israeli forces. Among those killed, thousands were mothers, leaving behind devastated children, families, and communities. These figures underscore the shattering human toll of the conflict, and of lives and futures lost too soon.
Since the ceasefire collapsed in March 2025, conditions have deteriorated further in Gaza, compounded by nearly nine weeks of an ongoing blockade on humanitarian aid. The entire population in Gaza is rapidly running out of food and essential supplies with increasing risks of famine. This means every woman and girl, (more than 1 million) is facing catastrophic levels of hunger. Women and girls are trapped, facing displacement, rising maternal mortality rates, and a severe lack of safety and protection mechanisms.
Despite these dire circumstances, UN Women continues to work with women-led civil society organizations in Gaza, trying to deliver essential services and support to the affected populations. But the scale of the suffering far exceeds current capacity or resources. Without an immediate significant surge in access to humanitarian aid, support and funding, countless lives hang in the balance.
UN Women joins the UN Secretary-General in reiterating the call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate restoration of unhindered humanitarian access, and the unconditional release of all hostages and those arbitrarily detained.
*In February 2025, The Lancet reported that fatalities in Gaza have likely been underreported by approximately 41 percent. The findings reflect both directly reported deaths and what they term to be excess deaths-fatalities that may not have been documented due to the breakdown of health and reporting infrastructure. UN Women has used this methodology to arrive at these estimates.
