70% of Gaza casualties are women and children: OHCHR

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported on Friday that about 70 percent of the casualties in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 have been women and children, reported Xinhua.

Highlighting the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and other areas, the OHCHR report confirms that, as of Sept. 2, 2024, it had verified the identities of 8,119 Palestinians killed in Gaza, including 2,036 women and 3,588 children, who together account for approximately 70 percent of the total fatalities.

The report condemns the brutal targeting of civilians in Gaza and the severe breaches of international law, noting that many of these acts may qualify as war crimes.

It emphasizes that if these acts are part of a large-scale or systematic attack against civilians tied to state or organizational policy, they could amount to crimes against humanity. Furthermore, the report warns that if the intent of these acts is to partially or entirely destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, they may constitute genocide.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated in the report that the International Court of Justice has repeatedly stressed Israel's international obligation to prevent and punish acts of genocide, urging Israel to fulfill these obligations fully and immediately.

He noted that this is especially urgent in light of the recent military operations in northern Gaza and Israeli legislation affecting the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Israel has yet to respond to the report's findings.

The report also condemns violent actions by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups targeting Israeli and foreign civilians. It calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and a focused effort to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.