What is the meaning of verse 8 from Surat Taha: "And they slaughter your sons and let your women live"?

What was asked about is not in Surat Taha, but rather part of the sixth verse of Surat Ibrahim, which is Allah’s saying: "And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, 'Remember the favor of Allah upon you when He saved you from the people of Pharaoh, who were afflicting you with horrible torment and were slaughtering your sons and letting your women live. And in that was a great trial from your Lord.'" (Ibrahim: 6). This context also appeared in verse 49 of Surat Al-Baqarah.

Imam Al-Tabari interpreted Allah's saying "afflicting you with horrible torment" to mean that they were making the Children of Israel taste severe torment. He explained that the phrase "and were slaughtering your sons" is conjoined with a "waaw" (and) to indicate that Pharaoh's people were afflicting them with other types of torment in addition to slaughter. As for other instances where "slaughtering your sons" or "killing your sons" appeared without a "waaw," it was to clarify the forms of torment. As for "and letting your women live," it means they kept the women of the Children of Israel alive to use them.

Al-Qurtubi clarified that the meaning of "and letting your women live" is keeping the women alive for their use and service, and that Pharaoh's order to slaughter the sons and spare the daughters was because the priests informed him of the birth of a child who would bring about his destruction.