Women’s Affairs Minister at 68th session of UN Commission on Status of Women: Women in Gaza have paid a heavy price as a result of Israel’s aggression

NEW YORK: The State of Palestine participated in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women at its sixty-eighth session entitled: "Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.' Addressing the session, Minister of Women's Affairs, Amal Hamad, who headed the Palestinian delegation, stressed that women in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to ongoing Israeli aggression since October 7 of last year, have paid a heavy price as a result of the aggression, accounting for 73% of the total number of civilians killed and wounded. She said that 63 women are killed daily in cold blood, of whom 37 are mothers, adding that 80% of the families with women as the sole or primary providers are not getting one daily meal. Regarding the educational process in the Strip, the minister stressed that the educational process is completely paralyzed as a result of the o ngoing Israeli aggression, which caused around 360,000 students to lose the school year. The health system has also collapsed, she warned, stating that the health sector is experiencing widespread epidemics and skin, intestinal and respiratory diseases. She noted that 700,000 people were infected with contagious diseases, 70% of whom were women and children. She also underscored the Israeli occupation's forced displacement of Palestinians in the Strip by brute force. "We have made our commitment to implement the international resolutions on women, security and peace, eliminate all forms of discrimination against them and punish torture, but in situations where we expected to be provided with support and fairness from these mechanisms to stop the machine of genocide, killing and destruction, they have failed to perform their tasks,' she stressed. She reiterated that there are serious gaps in the implementation measures and mechanisms and accountability, which she added require a comprehensive and extensive review of all resolutions. Rights are indivisible and are handled as a package, including the right to life, which is the most important and first right, she said. The minister stressed that the Right to Life is the first basic Human Right that is an elementary precondition for all other rights. she stated: 'We are free people who want to live in dignity without occupation,' demanding the world cease the aggression immediately and permanently, ensure the unconditional flow of relief aid into the Strip, preserve the presence of UNRWA, end the occupation and overcome its repercussions and secure Palestine's full state membership in the United Nations. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA