The United Nations condemned the high civilian death toll in Gaza amid Israel's ongoing military operations, reporting that nearly 70 percent of the verified fatalities were women and children. A UN human rights office report criticized the “unprecedented levels of killing, starvation, and displacement” in Gaza and raised concerns over possible war crimes, crimes against humanity, and potentially even genocide. The report called for urgent international action to prevent "atrocity crimes" and to ensure accountability.

The report highlighted the impact of Israel’s initial complete siege of Gaza and the lack of access to humanitarian aid, citing a systematic violation of international humanitarian law. It pointed out that around 80 percent of verified civilian deaths were the result of strikes on residential areas, with the largest group of victims being children between five and nine years old. The UN rights office verified approximately 10,000 deaths, with stringent checks requiring at least three independent sources.

Israel dismissed the report as biased, asserting that its military actions in Gaza are compliant with international law and target militants. However, UN rights chief Volker Turk called for a cessation of hostilities, the release of hostages, and immediate humanitarian aid for Gaza, urging all nations to pursue accountability through impartial judicial bodies.