UN Women has called for the full implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza, respect for international law and accountability for violations, as it accounted that nearly 50,000 women and girls have been killed or severely injured in the territory since the outbreak of war in October 2023.

It also urged the protection of women, girls and all civilians, stressing that humanitarian assistance must reach those in need at scale and without obstruction, while women and girls must be placed at the centre of recovery and response efforts.

According to UN Women, more than 38,000 women and girls have been killed, while another 11,700 have sustained severe injuries from Israeli airstrikes and ground military operations.

It said the combined toll of 49,700 represents approximately one in every 21 women and girls in Gaza, based on the estimated female population of 1.06 million at the end of 2025.

The body warned that women and girls continued to suffer despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in October 2025, with 277 women and girls reportedly killed in Gaza over the past year.

“Although most casualties occurred during the first two years of the war, continuing hostilities and insecurity have sustained the humanitarian crisis, leaving women and girls with limited access to food, shelter, safe water and hygiene supplies,” the group said.

UN Women said more than 150 evacuation and movement orders issued across Gaza by the Israeli Defense Forces since October 2023 had forced nearly one million women and girls from their homes.

It added that nearly every woman and girl in the territory had been displaced, with the majority living in tents or among the ruins of buildings, often without privacy or the basic facilities needed to maintain their dignity.

It noted women and girls are also shouldering the responsibility of caring for children, sick and injured relatives and elderly family members, while struggling to cook and clean without adequate resources.

The body said women were being forced to give birth in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, putting their lives at risk. It added that nearly 4,000 miscarriages were recorded in the first six months of 2026, three times the number reported in the last six months of 2025.

UN Women said the war has also increased the number of women heading households in Gaza adding that nearly one in four households, estimated at 86,290, was now headed by a woman, compared with one in nine before October 2023.

It attributed the increase to the growing number of widows and women who have assumed responsibility for their families following the loss of husbands, fathers and other loved ones.

It further projected that 702,000 women and girls would face acute food insecurity at crisis level or worse between July and December 2026.

The estimate was based on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification’s Gaza Strip special brief published on August 13, 2026. UN Women warned that the projected food insecurity could have devastating effects on women’s and girls’ health, including an increased risk of malnutrition.

It also expressed concern over declining humanitarian assistance and the limited capacity of women’s organisations working to meet the growing needs of affected communities.

UN Women maintained that and girls in Gaza needed peace, sustained humanitarian support and protection, urging all parties to ensure that international law was upheld and civilians were protected.