Loss of family members, the rise in female-headed households and the deterioration of healthcare services are worsening living conditions in Gaza. In the West Bank, deaths, military operations, and forced displacements are widening the consequences of the conflict across the female population.
Towards the end of October this year, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs released alarming figures: more than 12,500 Palestinian women have been murdered in the Gaza Strip and a further 28 in the West Bank.
All this has happened since October 2023.
According to the report, the population of Palestinian women is projected to be around 2.75 million by the end of 2026, equivalent to 49%, including 1.69 million in the West Bank and 1.06 million in Gaza.
Among the women murdered during the Israeli offensive in the coastal enclave are more than 9,000 mothers and 42 journalists. Furthermore, women account for around 14% of the people wounded, from a total that had reached 175,416 as of 12th October, per the report.
The offensive has also altered family structures: approximately 28,560 women have lost their husbands and the proportion of female-headed households in Gaza increased from 12% before the war to around 18% in October 2025.
With regards to healthcare, around 50,000 pregnant women face heightened risks, while more than 12,000 pregnancy losses have been recorded on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the document noted.
In the West Bank, the 28 murdered women form part of a total of 1,216 Palestinian deaths from attacks by the Israeli army and settlers since the beginning of the war in Gaza, according to the cited figures.
The economic situation also reflects the impact of the conflict. During the second quarter of 2026, female unemployment reached 92% in Gaza and 31% in the West Bank.
Since October 2023, the Israeli offensive in Gaza has left more than 74,000 dead and 175,000 wounded, according to Palestinian figures, and has caused widespread damage to civilian infrastructure. Palestinian authorities describe the military campaign as a genocide and, despite the ceasefire in place since 10th October 2025, condemn the continued bombings and gunfire leading to new victims.
At the same time, the West Bank has undergone an increase in Israeli military operations, including murders, arrests, destruction of homes and forced displacements, actions which worsen living conditions for the Palestinian population.
(Translated by Donna Davison – Email: donna_davison@hotmail.com) – Photos: Pixabay
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