Geneva: The UN Women office announced that more than 12,000 women and girls are currently living with long-term disabilities caused by the ongoing bombardment of Gaza Strip.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Head of UN Women's office in Geneva, Sophia Calltorp, explained during a press briefing held in Geneva to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls that more than 57,000 women have now become heads of their households. These women are "struggling to rebuild in the impossible even with a ceasefire as food is still scarce and completely out of reach for women with no income."
Calltorp noted that women in Gaza are living "a psychological war parallel to the military one," emphasizing that every woman she met had lost at least two members of her family. She stated that women in Gaza "are waiting for real peace," adding that "the attacks have decreased but the killing has not stopped."
She also highlighted the dire conditions in Gaza, explaining that recent waves of rain and cold have exposed the fragility of temporary tents, which leak water and leave children shivering through the night. Calltorp called for increasing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza in a systematic and safe manner to ensure that the ceasefire holds and to reach a peace that guarantees life and safety for every woman, girl, and all civilians.
She emphasized UN Women's commitment to continue working alongside the women of Gaza, enabling them to play a central role in recovery and reconstruction efforts.