Women in The Gaza Strip

By: Roy Kapoor, Roma Kapoor, and Aumrita Savdharia

The world is seeing a horrific humanitarian crisis take place. In the past week, the tension between Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, and Israel boiled over after Hamas attacked Israel’s land. As a result, the Israeli government declared war on Hamas, with Benny Gatz, the leader of the opposition party in Israel, going as far as to say that they will “wipe [the Hamas] off the face of the Earth.” Total war has ensued as nearly 3,000 people have been killed and there are over 10,000 injured on both sides.

War is devastating for everyone involved. Everyone hurts in a situation with bloodshed, but sadly, certain groups get hurt more than others. A report from Anadolu Agency, a Turkish news agency, found that out of all the casualties and injuries in this conflict, 60% of those were women and children. Because of the air strikes, over 37,000 women in Gaza will be forced to give birth without electricity or medical equipment. Not only putting their lives at risk, but also the lives of their unborn children. Reports from the United Nations suggest that nearly 84% of women living in the Gaza Strip have faced some form of abuse, due to struggles arising from the conflict over the past few years. It is painfully clear that in this war, women will face the brunt of the consequences and ultimately be the most affected.

This situation is not unique to the Gaza Strip. When war happens, women are exposed to more traumatic experiences and higher rates of assault than other demographic groups. Unlike men who are expected to stay on the front lines and defend their homes, women are expected to “flee to safety.” Although this seems like the safer alternative, women encounter a higher rate of violent situations, get forced into prostitution or marriage, or end up at a refugee camp where the likelihood of sexual assault is 25%. Even after the conflict ends, women are unable to get access to proper healthcare due to social stigmas. This leads to an increased rate of terminal and preventable illnesses.

In less than 24 hours of the start of the conflict, according to the Israeli Health Ministry, 187,518 people were displaced, and 137,427 were forced to take shelter in UNRWA schools. In the first week of conflict, Israel has already deployed over 300,000 troops to its border with Gaza. Also, they have ordered Northern Gaza residents to evacuate within 24 hours. This leaves women finding themselves in even deeper plights, with nowhere to go and war at their doorstep.

Our hearts go out to anyone affected by the conflict. To support, donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross to aid victims displaced or affected by the war.