A bloody reckoning: Palestinian women speak out on a day meant to protect them

The Ministry stated that in the past two years, more than 33,000 women and children in Palestinian territories have been killed as a result of Israeli attacks—an act the Ministry described as “one of the most extreme forms of discrimination and oppression against women in the modern world.”

In its statement marking November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Ministry said that during the genocidal war in Gaza—which ended last month with a fragile ceasefire—Israel killed more than 12,500 women and over 20,000 children. The total death toll in Gaza exceeded 69,000 people.

According to the report, at least 1,080 Palestinians were also killed in the West Bank during the same period due to Israeli attacks, although no separate figures for women and children were provided.

Forms of violence against women

The Ministry emphasized that Palestinian women are subjected to organized and systematic crimes by Israeli forces, including:

• Mass killings and summary executions
• Enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests
• Torture and sexual violence
• Demolition of homes and land confiscation
• Terror and intimidation by settlers
• Starvation and coercive policies
• Attacks on vital infrastructure

The Ministry added that Israeli attacks have specifically targeted health infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics for women, reproductive and mental health services, and social support centers—depriving thousands of women of essential care.

Surveillance tools and technology

The Ministry also stated that Israel uses advanced surveillance tools, artificial intelligence, and electronic spying technologies to target and intimidate Palestinian women.

This statement comes as the world marks the day with the theme: “Unite to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.”

Nearly a year ago, amid the mass killing of women and children in Gaza, UN experts and human rights advocates argued that the term “genocide” was no longer sufficient. They proposed the term “femi-genocide” to the United Nations to describe the systematic targeting of Palestinian women.

UN Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem said that the killing of Palestinian women and the targeting of their reproductive health is part of Israel’s genocidal strategy, which could be classified as a war crime and a crime against humanity.

She explained that the destruction of medical infrastructure, the deprivation of pregnant and nursing women from essential healthcare, and the creation of deadly conditions for infants are all tools Israel uses to prevent the continuation of the Palestinian population.

According to UN conventions, any measure intended to prevent births within a group is prohibited, and experts stress that these policies reflect deliberate attempts to destroy the Palestinian community, in whole or in part.