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More than 38,000 women and girls killed in Gaza between October 2023 and December 2025, UN Women says
Average of at least 47 deaths a day, with figures likely an underestimate due to bodies under rubble
Killings reported to have continued even after the October 2025 ceasefire
Women and girls face ongoing risks, displacement and limited access to food, healthcare and basic services
More than 38,000 women and girls have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, when Israel’s military operations escalated in the region, according to new United Nations data. The figures come from a UN Women advocacy brief covering data up to December 2025, which warns that women and children continue to face “severe and persistent risks” even months after a ceasefire.
The report, The Cost Of War In Gaza On Women And Girls, based on data from the UN Health Cluster, estimates that over 22,000 women and 16,000 girls were among those killed during the conflict. This equates to an average of at least 47 women and girls killed each day over the period.
Overall, more than 71,000 people are estimated to have died in Gaza during the same timeframe, although the report notes that the true toll is likely higher due to bodies remaining under rubble and the collapse of health reporting systems.
A separate study in the journal The Lancet, based on a survey of around 2,000 families across Gaza, estimates that at least 75,200 people were killed between October 2023 and January 2025. This figure is far higher than the roughly 49,000 deaths reported by local health authorities.
The study also suggests that around 8,000 additional deaths occurred from non-violent causes, such as malnutrition and illness, with women, children and older people accounting for more than 56 per cent of those killed.
A ceasefire was announced in October 2025, but UN Women says fatalities among women and girls have continued in the months since. The agency says this highlights the ongoing risks to civilians, particularly women and children, despite a reduction in large-scale hostilities.
“The impact of the war on women and girls has been devastating,” said Moez Doraid, UN Women’s regional director for the Arab States. He added that many families have been reshaped by the conflict, with a growing number of households now headed by women.
Beyond fatalities, the report estimates that nearly 11,000 women and girls have sustained injuries leading to lifelong disabilities.
However, the full extent of harm remains unclear. Injury data is not consistently broken down by sex and age, limiting understanding of the gendered impact of the conflict.
The World Health Organization has estimated that around 42,000 people in Gaza were living with life-changing injuries following two years of war.
The conflict has also led to widespread displacement. Nearly one million women and girls have been displaced, many of them multiple times, often under unsafe conditions and with limited access to food, water and healthcare.
Women and girls face increasing risks in overcrowded shelters, including poor sanitation and restricted access to basic necessities, the report says. Shortages of hygiene supplies have further increased health risks.
Food insecurity has also reached critical levels. At one point in 2025, around 93 per cent of Gaza’s population faced acute food insecurity, with women and children among the most affected.
Healthcare services, particularly those related to reproductive health, have been severely disrupted.
UN Women reports that hundreds of health facilities were damaged or destroyed, and by late 2025 only around a third of sexual and reproductive health service points remained operational.
Women have been forced to give birth in unsafe conditions, with some deliveries taking place outside hospitals without skilled medical support.
The war has significantly altered family structures. UN Women estimates that more than 58,000 households in Gaza are now headed by women, up from around 9 per cent before the conflict. These households face heightened economic hardship and protection risks.
Education has also been severely affected. Nearly all school buildings in Gaza have been damaged, with long-term consequences expected for children’s learning and future opportunities.
UN Women has called for full adherence to the ceasefire, respect for international law, and the protection of civilians, particularly women and girls.
It has also urged the international community to scale up humanitarian assistance and ensure that women are included in recovery and reconstruction efforts. The agency says that while the ceasefire has reduced the intensity of fighting, the humanitarian crisis remains “critical”, with conditions expected to persist for months.