UN report: Majority of deaths in Gaza have been women and children

The UN Human Rights Office reported that nearly 70 percent of verified deaths in the Gaza conflict so far have been women and children. 

Since the conflict's onset, the UN has verified 8,119 deaths, a smaller figure than the 43,000 reported by Palestinian health authorities. But the data underscores Palestinian claims that women and children form a significant portion of the casualties.

The UN has called for a judicial review of alleged international law violations, emphasizing the need to document and preserve evidence. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, highlighted the necessity for accountability through credible legal channels.

Israel has rejected the UN report, and says it fails to consider Hamas's actions in endangering civilians by operating within populated areas. 

Israel claims it follows strict procedures to minimize civilian casualties, and attributes the civilian death toll to Hamas's alleged use of human shields.

The youngest verified victim was one day old, and the oldest was 97. Children under 18 made up 44 percent of the fatalities, consistent with Gaza's demographic makeup. 

The report also noted that in 88 percent of incidents, five or more people were killed, often from weapons with wide-area effects, though some casualties may be linked to Palestinian projectiles.