2,000 Palestinian women left disabled by Israeli genocidal war: Gaza government

Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has left more than 2,000 women and girls with permanent disabilities, the head of the Gaza government's media office said on International Women's Day.

In a statement, Salama Maarouf said: “The Israeli aggression in Gaza has caused irreversible damage to the lives of countless Palestinian women and girls, particularly in the wake of Israel's ongoing genocidal campaign.”

"The Israeli genocide in Gaza has left 2,000 women and girls permanently disabled due to amputations, with 162 women suffering from contagious diseases, while dozens more have been tortured in detention centers,” he added.

Maarouf further emphasized the devastating toll the violence has had on women, with 13,901 women widowed and forced to become the sole providers for their families, 17,000 mothers mourning the loss of their children, and 50,000 pregnant women who lost their babies under inhumane conditions.

He said that the ongoing siege and the obstruction of humanitarian aid led to catastrophic living conditions for women, who are suffering from hunger and dehydration.

“The occupation forces have cold-bloodedly killed 12,316 Palestinian women since the beginning of the assault,” he added.

The official also highlighted that Palestinian women have endured these harsh realities since the Nakba, referring to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians through their violent displacement and dispossession of their land, property, and belongings in 1948 and the following years.

On International Women's Day, Maarouf questioned the role of the international community and women's rights organizations, asking: “Where are they as Gaza's women suffer?”

According to Human Rights Watch, the death toll reported by Gaza's health authorities excludes those who died from disease or were buried under the rubble.

They estimate that 70% of the total fatalities, around 8,200, were women and children, with this figure verified by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office.

Furthermore, international human rights organizations have noted the severe spread of infectious diseases and serious injuries that have led to an alarming rise in deaths among Palestinians in Gaza.

As of Jan. 18, 2025, the Gaza Health Ministry recorded 110,725 injuries, with women and children comprising 69% of those wounded.

Reports also show that 70% of the 14,222 missing persons in Gaza, as of Jan. 18, are women and children.

A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting Israel's brutal war, which has killed over 48,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its military campaign.