(MENAFN) Despite a recently brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire—especially for women and girls, according to statements from UN Women on Friday. The organization revealed that over one million women and girls currently require food assistance, with nearly 250,000 in need of immediate nutritional aid.

At a press briefing, UN Women’s Geneva Office director Sofia Calltorp stated, "This ceasefire is our window to deliver fast and to stop famine before it takes hold." Although the truce brought a temporary pause to hostilities, she emphasized that it "has not ended the crisis."

Many women and girls have been forced to flee multiple times throughout the conflict and are now enduring winter conditions without adequate shelter. "Most women in Gaza have been displaced at least four times during the war, and this ceasefire is the first chance for them to stop running, to find safety and to rebuild," Calltorp explained.

She further noted the devastating toll of the violence over the past two years, stating, "For two years, women and girls in Gaza were killed at the rate of roughly two every hour. This number only defines the scale of this war, and it will haunt our collective conscience for generations."

According to the latest figures from UN Women, one out of every seven families in Gaza is now led by a woman. These households are in critical need of direct aid in order to provide food, access healthcare, regain income, and rebuild a semblance of stability after suffering immense losses.

Calltorp underscored the pivotal role of women in any path forward for Gaza: "There will be no recovery without the women and girls who have kept Gaza alive through famine, fear and flight."

She urged all involved parties to maintain the ceasefire and called for increased international support.

She also emphasized the importance of prioritizing gender-focused responses: "If we do not put the needs of women and girls at the center, and if we do not include women's organizations in the response and recovery, women will be excluded from the future of Gaza altogether."

Highlighting the broader benefits of supporting women-led humanitarian efforts, she added, "Every dollar invested in women-led aid is a down payment on hope" and "when we invest in women, every dollar generates an $8 return for those communities."

The UN agency’s message is clear: without sustained peace and targeted support for women and girls, the path to recovery in Gaza remains blocked.

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