In the West Bank, three generations of Palestinian women share a common story of unrelenting hardship, shaped by decades of war and displacement. UN Women recently spoke to Wafeeka, Kafa, and Jwan – three women profoundly affected by ongoing conflicts.

This war defies all comprehension. We never imagined we would lose our homes, our cherished memories, and our loved ones. Displacement has become our constant reality.

Maryse Guimond, UN Women Special Representative in Palestine, spoke at the noon briefing at the UN from Jerusalem about her visit to Gaza in June

A high risk of famine persists across the Gaza Strip as long as the ongoing conflict continues and humanitarian access remains restricted, according to a new report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Food insecurity affects women in Gaza in multiple ways. UN Women estimates that at least 557,000 women in Gaza are facing severe food insecurity, and find themselves facing old and new gender-based vulnerabilities.

This is not just a story of War, but a story of Love. This is not merely a tale of Despair, but a narrative of Hope. This is simply a story of Eternity, the story of Amani—a story never imagined would end. It's also the collective story of Amani, Lamia, Najla, and all the Women of Gaza, losing their lives and facing a war not just on Gaza itself, but on its women. These women are pillars of strength: Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Doctors, Leaders, and more. Yet, they are losing their dignity, hope, loved ones, and their very lives.

New UN Women survey data from Rafah highlights the depth of physical and mental despair, with 93% of women interviewed feeling unsafe and over half reporting medical conditions requiring urgent attention. With any Israeli ground invasion, these number will soar.

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.

Farha Abu Al Haija, 57 years old, lives in Jenin, the West Bank. She is the Director of “Not to Forget,” a local NGO that provides women and children with legal, social, and psychological aid, focusing mostly on vulnerable women and survivors of gender-based violence.

Sanabel Ahmed Abusaid, 39, lives with her 13-year-old daughter, parents, and brother in Gaza. She is divorced and raises her daughter on her own. Her ex-husband lives in the Gulf. Apart from being a human rights and women’s rights activist, Sanabel has worked with civil society organizations in Gaza, including Women’s Affairs Centre, a UN Women Partner, where she is a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning Advisor working to empower women and advocate for gender equality.

Rabab Nofel, 30, lives with her two-year-old son and husband in a rented apartment in Gaza. She was born with a disability that restricts her movement. To make a living and support her son, Rabab creates and sells perfumes from home, but her livelihood often gets disrupted, particularly during escalations of violence. Women with disabilities have limited opportunities in Gaza to build economic resilience. Only around four per cent of women with disabilities participate in the workforce.

“I used to work as a secretary at the Bank of Palestine, but I lost my job in 2019. After having good living standards for seven years, I found myself in a very difficult financial situation.” Said Souad, * a 41-year-old mother of five whose husband abandoned her. “This motivated me to put my cooking skills to good use and start my own business. Today, cooking is my family’s main source of income.”