Nearly 70% of verified deaths in Gaza are women and children, UN report finds

• The "wanton disregard" of the rules of war has "led to the current extremes of human suffering which we continue to see today," Volker Türk, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in the press release.
• Türk called for a "due reckoning" via impartial judicial bodies over the alleged violations of international law during the war.

The big picture: The report examined fatalities that occurred over the six-month period between Nov. 2023 and April 2024 and includes only fatalities that were confirmed by at least three independent sources.

• The report found 8,119 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza during that period, including 2,036 women and 3,588 children.
• Nearly 80% of the fatalities occurred in residential buildings.

What they're saying: The Israeli mission to the UN in Geneva said Israel rejects the latest report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Israel's representative to the UN in Geneva, Daniel Meron, said the office "continues to hand-pick facts."

Zoom out: Palestinian health authorities estimate almost 43,400 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in Oct. 2023.

• The war was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7 terror attacks, which killed 1,200 Israelis and led to the kidnapping of 250 hostages.

Go deeper: U.S. ramps up pressure on Israel to address Gaza crisis ahead of deadline