World Bulletin / News Desk 

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Sunday urged the international community to help protect Palestinian women who continue to suffer under the yoke of the Israeli occupation.

"Palestinian women are an integral partner in building the state of Palestine and continue to contribute to building the development of the Palestinian society. The International Women's Day comes while Palestinian women continue to suffer at the hands of the Israeli occupation and its criminal policies" PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi said in a statement.

Ashrawi cited, as an example, the killing of 296 women in the Gaza Strip during last summer's Israeli onslaught on the embattled enclave.

She also paid tribute to Palestinian women being held in Israeli detentions.

Last year's Israeli war on Gaza has led to the displacement of 34,697 Palestinian women, while 791 others lost their spouses, Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights - a Palestinian NGO – said Sunday.