The UN human rights organization has condemned the numerous civilian casualties in the Gaza war. The organization's analysis showed that women and children account for nearly 70 percent of the deaths verified in the last six-month period. “Unprecedented violations of international law are occurring, raising concerns of 'war crimes and other potentially atrocious crimes,'” the agency said in a report on Friday (8 November). British media reported the news.
The agency says 8,119 people were killed in Gaza between November 2023 and April 2024. About 44 percent of the verified victims were children and 26 percent were women. Among the victims, the number of children aged 5 to 9 years is the highest.
The agency also reported that nearly 80 percent were killed in residential buildings or similar settlements.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk said, “This unprecedented level of killing and civilian casualties is a failure to uphold the basic principles of international humanitarian law.”
The BBC has contacted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment on Friday's report.
The United Nations says Palestinian armed groups are waging war from populated areas. As a result, the indiscriminate use of shells or missiles by Israeli forces has contributed to increasing the number of deaths. The IDF destroyed civilian infrastructure and 'left the survivors wounded, homeless and hungry. has created a lack of adequate water, food or healthcare for them.'
The situation is worst in northern Gaza. According to aid agencies, northern Gaza was under siege in early October when Israel launched a new ground offensive against Hamas. According to the United Nations, no food aid entered the north in the first two weeks of October.
Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, an aid agency, told the BBC on Friday that he had witnessed 'unbelievable devastation' during a recent visit to Gaza.
He said, 'There is no building that has not been damaged. And large areas look like Stalingrad after World War II. He described the intensity of this indiscriminate bombardment on this besieged population as unimaginable.
“It is clear that children and women are the main drivers of this brutal war,” he said.
