UN Experts Warn Israel's Aid Restrictions Inflict Severe Gender-Specific Harm

UN human rights experts issued a formal warning on March 19 that Israel's restrictions on humanitarian operations in Gaza and the West Bank are inflicting severe and escalating gender-specific harm. 'Women and girls are bearing a disproportionate share of deprivation as access to food, healthcare, shelter, water, and sanitation continues to collapse,' the experts stated. The collapse of Gaza's healthcare system has placed women's lives in immediate danger, particularly regarding maternal and reproductive health. The experts noted that since December 2025, Israel has restricted 37 international humanitarian organizations from operating, with gender-based violence services also critically curtailed. UNRWA reported serving 4,210 survivors of GBV since the war began.