Gaza, MINA – The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini confirmed that at least 70 percent of those killed by Israeli aggression in Gaza are women and children.
Lazzarini posted on X that the ongoing military operation in northern Gaza over the past seven weeks has displaced 130,000 people, adding: “Women were separated from men and ordered to walk with their children. Many sought shelter in empty houses and destroyed clinics or shops. Some slept in the open. They are in fear and exposed to gender-based violence, abuse and disease.”
“Across Gaza, there are around 50,000 pregnant women and 4,000 births expected next month. With weakened immune systems, pregnant and breastfeeding women are struggling to survive amid piles of rubbish and waste,” Lazzarini said, as quoted by Middle East Monitor.
Lazzarini pointed out in her post the conditions women suffer: “Menstrual hygiene has become an ordeal for most women and girls. Nearly 700,000 menstruating women do not have pads and other hygiene items. They are either unavailable or too expensive: the price of bar soap has increased by 1,100%.”
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He reiterated her call for a ceasefire: “It is time for a #ceasefire for women and girls. It is time for a standardized and regular flow of supplies, including life-saving hygiene materials.” (T/RE1/P2)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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