RAMALLAH, March 8, 2026 (WAFA) – On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Palestinian NGOs Network issued an urgent appeal to United Nations institutions and international bodies, calling for immediate action to protect Palestinian women from all forms of violence and injustice resulting from Israeli occupation policies, which have over the past 28 months led to unprecedented humanitarian catastrophes, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The network, in a statement, stated that Palestinian women continue to bear a double burden of daily suffering caused by forced displacement, siege, and ongoing conflicts, noting that since the onset of Israeli aggression, the total number of those killed and injured has reached 72,123 and over 171,805, respectively, including 644 women. It stressed that women represent a significant proportion of those affected, underscoring the magnitude of serious violations endured by vulnerable groups.
It stressed that the ongoing international silence regarding these violations has become intolerable, particularly in light of escalating Israeli policies, including colonial settlement expansion, annexation plans, and actions targeting Palestinians’ daily lives in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, all aimed at displacing communities and altering the identity of Palestinian land.
In its urgent appeal, the network called on international institutions to recognize the humanitarian catastrophe faced by Palestinian women as a distinctive example of genocide in modern times, noting that it surpasses what occurred during the World War I and the World War II in terms of the nature of force used and the number of victims and displaced persons, particularly women and vulnerable groups, and the absence of serious accountability measures against Israel.
The Network called for urgent, increased humanitarian interventions, including shelter and recovery plans; the entry of humanitarian aid, food supplies, tents, and caravans; the return of displaced persons to their homes; and the prevention of displacement in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The statement called for the protection of women prisoners in Israeli jails, where approximately 66 female detainees face ill-treatment, torture, denial of family visits, and medical neglect, including the deprivation of suhoor and iftar meals during the fasting month of Ramadan and the confiscation of blankets amid harsh winter conditions.
The Network also urged the strengthening of national legislation to protect women, including the enforcement of family protection laws, safeguarding the rights of working women, eliminating all forms of discrimination, ensuring equal pay, and preventing violence, harassment, and abuse in the workplace.
The statement called for guaranteeing meaningful political participation for women by ensuring their representation in upcoming local elections and within the Palestinian National Council, while also strengthening their role in decision-making processes.
It called for bolstering international women’s solidarity and advocacy for the rights of Palestinian women affected by conflict, while promoting collective efforts toward a world free of war and humanitarian crises, grounded in social justice, the protection of human rights, and the realization of self-determination free from occupation and external interference.
The network concluded its statement by emphasizing that Palestinian women, enduring hunger, displacement, and suffering, are sending a message to women worldwide on International Women’s Day, calling on the international community to fulfill its humanitarian and legal obligations to protect Palestinian women and strengthen their resilience.
T.R.
