DaysofPal – The Palestinian Center for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons said International Women’s Day serves as a reminder of the worsening fate of thousands of missing women in the Gaza Strip. The organization said the tragedy continues more than 28 months after the Israeli military campaign that devastated large parts of the enclave, leaving many victims trapped beneath the rubble of destroyed homes and residential buildings.
In a statement, the center said field estimates indicate that around 8,000 people remain missing across Gaza. At least 3,200 of them are women and girls. Other assessments suggest women could represent up to 70 percent of the missing. The absence of precise figures results from extensive destruction and the difficulty of accessing collapsed structures.
The group pointed out that this year’s International Women’s Day arrives while thousands of women remain buried beneath the ruins of bombed homes or in areas where Israeli forces maintain positions. Others may be missing after detention by Israeli authorities.
It emphasized that the numbers reflect the scale of the humanitarian crisis affecting women in particular. Entire families were buried under rubble during widespread bombardment of residential neighborhoods. Many bodies have not been recovered, leaving families without confirmation of their relatives’ fate.
Field information collected by the center suggests that most missing women are believed to remain under the debris of homes destroyed during the attacks.
Rescue efforts face major obstacles. Civil defense teams lack heavy machinery and specialized equipment needed to safely remove rubble. The destruction of infrastructure and damage to emergency response capabilities have further limited recovery operations. Thousands of families continue to wait for answers regarding the fate of their daughters and mothers.
The center also raised concerns that some Palestinian women from Gaza may be subjected to enforced disappearance in Israeli detention facilities. It said the Israeli occupation forces detained dozens of women from the enclave during military operations. Authorities have not provided full information regarding the fate or location of some detainees, raising fears that several may be held in undisclosed locations in violation of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The organization added that the suffering of missing women forms part of a broader crisis affecting Palestinian women during the war. According to its figures, 12,500 women have been killed, including about 9,000 mothers. In addition, 21,193 women have become widows after losing their husbands since October 7, 2023. The center said these numbers indicate a growing level of family and social disintegration resulting from attacks on civilians.
The group warned that global attention directed toward other regional developments, including the war involving Iran, should not lead to neglect of the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza.
It called on international human rights organizations, United Nations bodies concerned with women and missing persons, and other relevant institutions to take urgent action. The proposed steps include pressure to allow heavy equipment and specialized machinery into Gaza so rescue teams can recover bodies from collapsed buildings, the launch of independent international investigations into the fate of the missing, and demands for Israeli authorities to disclose the location of all detained women from Gaza.
The center stressed that resolving the crisis of the missing in Gaza represents a humanitarian and legal obligation that cannot be delayed. It said leaving thousands of victims under rubble or in unknown circumstances constitutes a serious violation of the rights of both the victims and their families, requiring decisive international action.
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