After the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel, followed by the Israeli Armed Forces’ strikes on Gaza, UN Women has worked to analyse the differentiated impact on women, men, boys, and girls, to ensure adequate responses to their needs.

Members of the Palestinian Public Prosecution work to ensure protection and legal justice for women survivors of violence in the West Bank, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) through the HAYA Joint Programme.

After the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel, followed by the Israeli Armed Forces’ strikes on Gaza, UN Women has worked to analyse the differentiated impact on women, men, boys, and girls, to ensure adequate responses to their needs.

More than one million Palestinian women and girls in Gaza have almost no access to food or safe water, with disease growing amidst inhumane living conditions.

“Living through the war is like living through a nightmare,” said Safa Btah. A 29-year-old mother of two, Btah was displaced from her home in Gaza City while six months pregnant with her third child. “We were forced to flee our home, leaving behind everything we knew and loved”, she said. Btah and her family first sought refuge in the southern city of Khan Younis, only to be met by further Israeli bombardments and sniper fire, forcing them to continue further south to Rafah.

Three Palestinian women speak about how the war in Gaza has impacted women’s lives, amid an unfolding famine and calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Forty-seven-year-old single mother of four, Hala has not only survived domestic violence but has now emerged as a symbol of strength, hope, and compassion amidst the adversities of the ongoing war in Gaza. Her story is one of unwavering determination, self-improvement, and giving back to her community when they need it the most.

As humanitarian leaders, our position is clear: We will not participate in the establishment of any ”safe zone” in Gaza that is set up without the agreement of all the parties, and unless fundamental conditions are in place to ensure safety and other essential needs are met and a mechanism is in place to supervise its implementation.

“The nights in Gaza have been transformed into a never-ending nightmare. Sleep is a luxury we can’t afford, and death lurks around every corner.” In the heart of Gaza City, Nourhan, a 29-year-old lawyer and activist, is a symbol of resilience to those around her. She is an active member of the “YV Mic” initiative, a Palestinian youth programme working to achieve peaceful social change through theatre and art.

“We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire”

“With her gone, I mourned the dreams we had woven together. Our shared vision of the future, all of it, had crumbled to dust”. In southern Gaza, 34-year-old Amani is working to shield her family from the effects of the ongoing war and mourning the loss of a close friend. Their home, in the southern city of Rafah, seems far from the war’s violent epicentre, but cannot offer true safety.

“We thank God every day we wake up alive. We are like funerals postponed, dressed and ready to die, waiting for our turn”. In southern Gaza, 44-year-old Hayam Farahat is navigating life with her family amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

The Palestinian Civil Police, in partnership with UN Women Palestine through the Sawasya II UN Joint Programme, opened its second One-Stop Centre in Hebron today to enhance access to justice, ensure the provision of timely protection, and maintain privacy and dignity for women and children’s victims and survivors of violence.

Bisan, 24 years old, is a community and youth activist, content creator and a trainer in the fields of advocacy, debates and twenty-first century skills from Gaza, Palestine. She volunteers in many local and international teams and institutions in the fields of youth and women engagement, climate change and human rights. Bisan has her own show called «Hakawatia» which is broadcasted through Roya Tv and other platforms. In her videos she talks about social issues.

Duha Shellah, 26 years old, is a Palestinian young doctor and medical journalist. She is the founder & CEO of the Researchist, a research community working to increase youth and women’s representation in research and science. In 2022, Duha was recognized as one of the world’s 21 outstanding young physicians by the Inter-Academy Partnership in Berlin, Germany. She is also an Eastern Mediterranean Region Delegate at World Federation of Public Health Associations (Young Council). Additionally, Duha is a coordinator at the Medical & Health Sciences division of the Palestine Academy for Science and Technology. Among other things, Duha is the Student Editor-in-Chief and Ambassador at the International Journal of Medical Students.

Ameera, 24, was born with a vision impairment. She lives in Ramallah with her siblings and parents. She has a degree in English Language and Literature and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Community Development. Ameera also works at EducAid, an international non-profit organization, where she helps people with disabilities overcome learning and employment challenges.

During two high-level workshops that brought together Palestinian Government, feminist leaders and local and international civil society members, UN representatives, the State of Palestine’s Ministry of Women’s Affairs and UN Women have launched the Country Gender Equality Profile (CGEP) to serve as a reliable source of evidence-based information and advocacy on gender equality in Palestine. The event took place in Ramallah and Gaza on two separate occasions, resulting in a fruitful and comprehensive event for all segments of the Palestinian society.

Female inmates in the correction and rehabilitation centres of the West Bank are battling with their mental health due to the lack of strong family and community ties and the harsh realities of violence they have faced. To address these challenges, the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) organized a specialized training programme for counsellors, with the support of the Sawasya Programme through UN Women Palestine.

Rehab Qtait, 35, is a mother of five and lives with her family in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip. To make a living, Rehab has put her skills in sewing, embroidery work and crochet to good use. But her income does not cover her household needs

Israa Abu Dawod, 32, was born with a complete vision impairment. She lives with her parents and brother (also with vision impairment) in Hebron in the West Bank. Both of her parents have health issues and are unable to work. Israa holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic Language Teaching, and hosts a weekly radio programme on the rights of people with disabilities. Israa was among the 300 women who received cash for work opportunities by UN Women in Palestine. Generously supported by the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), UN Women’s Cash for Work Programme offers economically vulnerable women, particularly those with disabilities, temporary work opportunities coupled with vocational trainings and protection services, to help them pursue more sustainable livelihood.