News Center_ The Palestinian Ministry of women’s Affairs affirmed that women’s rights represent a matter of justice, freedom, and dignity, stressing the needs to continue efforts to protect and empower women and ensure their right to a safe and dignified life away from the horrors of war.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the ministry issued a statement in Gaza on Sunday, March 8, stating that Palestinian women—particularly in the Gaza Strip—are marking the day amid one of the harshest humanitarian tragedies in modern history due to the ongoing war since October 7, 2023.

According to the statement, the number of women who have lost their lives has exceeded 12,500, including 9,000 mothers, while children, women, and the elderly make up more than 55% of the total victims. More than 12,000 miscarriages have also been recorded due to severe malnutrition and the collapse of the healthcare system.

The ministry noted that the killing of husbands and the arrest of thousands have forced tens of thousands of women to take on the responsibility of supporting their families. Currently, 21,193 widows are providing for themselves and their children amid a comprehensive economic collapse.

The statement added that more than 350,000 families require shelter, increasing the burden on women who serve as heads of households. In addition, more than half a million women and nearly one million children have been displaced under extremely harsh humanitarian conditions.

The ministry stressed that these figures reflect the scale of the direct targeting of Palestinian women during the war. Women have become victims, widows, grieving mothers, and primary providers facing unprecedented circumstances amid what the statement described as genocide and the widespread destruction of social and economic structures.

In its conclusion, the ministry emphasized that the rights of Palestinian women are both a national and humanitarian issue, and that there is a moral and legal obligation to continue protecting Palestinian women, empowering them, and guaranteeing their right to a safe and dignified life away from war.