UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, has condemned Israel's actions in Gaza, stating that the killing of women and the targeting of reproductive health are part of a genocidal strategy. In a statement on Sunday, Alsalem described Israel’s assault on Palestinian women as a systematic attempt to destroy Palestinian reproductive capacity, a clear violation of international law.

Alsalem emphasized that the deliberate killing of Palestinian women simply for being women constitutes both a war crime and a crime against humanity. She pointed out that the UN Convention on the Prevention of Genocide forbids actions aimed at preventing reproduction within a targeted group.

She further explained that the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system, abandonment of newborns, and the appalling conditions faced by pregnant and nursing women are tools of Israeli genocidal violence aimed at eradicating Palestinian reproductive continuity.

According to data from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), around 800,000 women have been forcibly displaced, and 1 million women and girls are suffering from severe food insecurity. Alsalem revealed that miscarriage rates have surged by 300%, driven by lack of medical care, trauma, and constant bombardment.
She warned that the situation in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels, marking not only genocide but a complete breakdown of legal war boundaries, with mass killing and destruction at the core.