Gaza: Two women and girls were killed every two hours in Gaza over the past two years, the United Nations declared on Friday.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Director of the UN Women Geneva Office, Sophia Calltorp, highlighted the severity of the situation by stating, “For two years women and girls in Gaza were killed at the rate of roughly two every hour,” emphasizing that this figure is a grim indicator of the ongoing conflict’s impact and will leave a lasting mark on collective memory. During a news conference in Geneva, Calltorp revealed that over a million women and girls in Gaza are in dire need of food assistance, with approximately a quarter of a million requiring immediate nutritional support.
Calltorp remarked that the recent ceasefire announcement offers a vital chance to take urgent action to prevent famine. She warned that most women in Gaza have been displaced multiple times since the conflict began, and their hardships are exacerbated by winter conditions and a lack of adequate shelter.
She stressed that a significant number of families in Gaza, now headed by women, require direct aid to provide for their children, access medical care, and rebuild their lives. The UN official underscored that these statistics serve as a stark reminder that Gaza’s recovery is contingent upon the inclusion of women and girls, who have been central to sustaining life amid adversity.
Calltorp further emphasized the economic impact of supporting women, noting that “every dollar invested in supporting women is an investment in hope,” and according to UN Women estimates, such investments can yield significant returns for the community. She advocated for prioritizing the needs of women and girls in humanitarian efforts and reconstruction strategies, warning against excluding them from shaping Gaza’s future.
She affirmed that the UN Women Office is collaborating with partners across the United Nations to enhance aid delivery, ensuring it reaches women and girls effectively. Additionally, Calltorp appealed to all parties to uphold the ceasefire and urged member states to increase funding to save lives in Gaza, stressing the importance of taking action to restore hope and peace through the empowerment of women.