Amnesty states Israel denies women in Gaza ‘conditions to live’

Women and girls in the Gaza Strip have been deprived of the basic conditions required to live safely and give birth, according to a new warning from Amnesty International.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Amnesty said the ongoing Israeli assault has pushed Palestinian women “to the brink,” citing widespread displacement and the near-collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.

The rights group said pregnant women and those suffering from serious illnesses such as cancer have been among the worst affected due to the severe shortage of functioning hospitals and medical services, Al Jazeera reported.

Amnesty accused Israel of systematically undermining women’s rights to health, safety, and dignity. It said the worsening humanitarian situation is not merely a side effect of war but a consequence of policies that include repeated mass displacement, restrictions on essential supplies and humanitarian aid, and prolonged bombardment.

Since the war began in October 2023, more than 72,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed. Israeli attacks have continued even after a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect last October, with over 600 people killed since then, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Humanitarian access also remains limited. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently warned that Gaza’s health sector is still under severe strain due to shortages of medical supplies, equipment, and fuel.

The humanitarian crisis has had devastating personal consequences. A 22-year-old Palestinian woman from the Jabalia refugee camp said she weighed only 43 kilograms when she gave birth to her son in mid-January, highlighting the extreme malnutrition and hardship faced by many pregnant women in Gaza.