No Food, Water, Shelter or Security: Palestinian Women During Conflict

25-02-2024

İrem Çakmak

Middle East and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

Israel’s unlawful attacks and measures since October 7 had a horrible impact on the situation of Palestinians, especially on women and girls, in terms of access to food and water, basic hygiene and health, shelter, and security. Since the 7th of October 2023, the Gaza Strip has witnessed the loss of over 29,514 lives, with women and children comprising 70 per cent of the casualties, and nearly 1 million women and girls are among 1.9 million individuals who were forced to leave their homes. [1] 

The gender-specific consequences of the conflict have been evident since the beginning of the attacks. In October 2023, Human Rights Watch highlighted that the supply shortages, stemming from Israel's unauthorised reductions, created a crisis for parents, typically mothers, as they endeavour to provide nourishment for their children. [2] The situation has worsened ever since. On the universally recognised 5-phase scale used to assess food crises, it was estimated in January 2024 that more than half a million people in Gaza, equivalent to a quarter of the entire population, are positioned at the most critical level, Phase 5, signifying a high likelihood of widespread starvation and death. [3] Women and girls bear an additional challenge in times of food insecurity, as they often significantly reduce their prioritisation of food intake when faced with restricted access to food. [4] Women are also disproportionately affected by the inequalities in the distribution of low amounts of supplies. [5]

Aside from food and clean water, women and girls also had little to no access to female hygiene products and health services. In Gaza, more than 690,000 menstruating women and adolescent girls need menstrual hygiene products, alongside access to clean water, toilets, and privacy, having both psychological and physical impacts on women. [6] Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women has been emphasising the specific needs of women and girls, including sexual and reproductive health services, as well as sanitary and hygiene products; a possible epidemic outbreak heightening the urgency. [7]

The lack of security and facilities in shelters creates additional problems for women and girls. Internally displaced people shelters, including the UNRWA Khan Younis Training Center, among the largest shelters in southern Gaza, houses 40,000 internally displaced people, facing overwhelming overcrowding, especially impacting the privacy of women and girls, whereas in Rafah, the issue of overcrowding is further exemplified, with over 480 individuals sharing a solitary toilet. [8] Coupled with food insecurity, the overcrowding contributes to an increase in preventable and treatable diseases, leading to the loss of lives, particularly among women and children. [9] 

Moreover, UN experts have stated that there are reports of arbitrary executions of Palestinian women and girls in Gaza, with women frequently being executed alongside their family members, including children, some of them allegedly holding a white cloth during the killings. [10] An unknown number of Palestinian women and children, including girls, have reportedly disappeared following encounters with the Israeli army in Gaza. [11] Middle East Eye reports that some Palestinian women are taken by Israeli soldiers during night raids to shelters, being held incommunicado at locations unknown to them where they were subjected to beatings and naked searches and were sometimes even held in cages. [12] 

Sources and further reading

[1] UN Women, ‘Gender Alert: The Gendered Impact of the Crisis in Gaza'’ (January, 2024) <Gender Alert: The Gendered Impact of the Crisis in Gaza> accessed February 25, 2024; UNRWA, ‘UNRWA Situation Report #82 on the Situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem’ (February 26, 2024), <https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report-82-situation-gaza-strip-and-west-bank-including-east-Jerusalem> accessed February 26, 2024.

[2] Human Rights Watch, ‘Israel’s Unlawful Blockade of Gaza Sparks Women’s Rights Crisis’ (October 23, 2024) <Israel’s Unlawful Blockade of Gaza Sparks Women’s Rights Crisis> accessed February 25, 2024.

[3] ReliefWeb, ‘Gaza now the world’s worst hunger crisis and on the verge of famine’ (January 9, 2024) <Gaza now the world’s worst hunger crisis and on the verge of famine> accessed February 25, 2024.

[4] Care International, ‘Gaza: After two months of war, women last to eat and children first to die’ (December 12, 2023) <Gaza: After two months of war, women last to eat and children first to die> accessed February 25, 2024.

[5] UN Women, ‘Gender Alert: The Gendered Impact of the Crisis in Gaza'’ (January, 2024) <Gender Alert: The Gendered Impact of the Crisis in Gaza> p. 8, accessed February 25, 2024.

[6] ReliefWeb, ‘Gaza now the world’s worst hunger crisis and on the verge of famine’ (January 9, 2024) <Gaza now the world’s worst hunger crisis and on the verge of famine> accessed February 25, 2024.

[7] UN Women, ‘Gaza: When mothers have to bury at least 7,700 children, very basic principles are challenged, UN women’s rights committee says’ (February 16, 2024) <Gaza: When mothers have to bury at least 7,700 children, very basic principles are challenged, UN women’s rights committee says>  accessed February 25, 2024.

[8] ReliefWeb, ‘Gaza now the world’s worst hunger crisis and on the verge of famine’ (January 9, 2024) <Gaza now the world’s worst hunger crisis and on the verge of famine> accessed February 25, 2024.

[9] Care International, ‘Gaza: After two months of war, women last to eat and children first to die’ (December 12, 2023) <Gaza: After two months of war, women last to eat and children first to die> accessed February 25, 2024.

[10] United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, ‘Israel/oPt: UN experts appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls’ (February 19, 2024) <Israel/oPt: UN experts appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls> accessed February 25, 2024.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Middle East Eye, ‘Sexual abuse and beatings: A Palestinian mother's ordeal in Israeli custody’ (February 24, 2024) <Sexual abuse and beatings: A Palestinian mother's ordeal in Israeli custody> accessed February 25, 2024.