The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Al Salema, has accused the Israeli occupation forces of systematically targeting Palestinian women and reproductive health as part of what she describes as an ongoing genocide in Gaza. In a press statement on Sunday, she highlighted that Israel’s attacks on Palestinian women are not isolated incidents but part of a broader strategy to diminish the Palestinian population. She referenced the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which prohibits acts aimed at preventing reproduction within a specific group. Al Salema emphasized that the destruction of Gaza’s health sector, the deaths of newborns due to lack of medical care, and the dire conditions faced by pregnant and nursing women are all tools being used to weaken the continuity of the Palestinian people. She warned that such actions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated to unprecedented levels, with women and children bearing the brunt of the violence. According to the United Nations Population Fund, around 800,000 women have been forcibly displaced, while nearly one million women and girls are suffering from severe food insecurity. Al Salema cited data showing a 300% increase in abortion rates due to psychological trauma, lack of medical care, and the constant bombardment of civilian areas. She described these conditions as an intentional attempt to break Palestinian society by targeting its most vulnerable members. The systematic destruction of hospitals and maternity wards has left expecting mothers with no access to medical facilities, leading to a sharp rise in maternal and infant mortality. She argued that the deliberate targeting of women, particularly those who are pregnant or nursing, underscores a strategy designed to inflict long-term demographic damage on the Palestinian population.
The UN official further warned that the scale of the crisis in Gaza has reached dimensions “unprecedented in modern history,” surpassing previous humanitarian disasters. She stressed that Israel’s actions go beyond conventional warfare, crossing into deliberate extermination and violations of international law. The destruction of civilian infrastructure, the denial of humanitarian aid, and the targeting of reproductive health services are all indicative of a strategy aimed at erasing an entire people, she said. Al Salema called on the international community to act urgently, emphasizing that the attacks on Palestinian women and the systematic destruction of healthcare facilities must be addressed as crimes of genocide. She urged global institutions to hold Israel accountable and implement measures to prevent further atrocities against the Palestinian population.
