As the world marks International Women’s Day, the reality facing women in Gaza is defined not by celebration but by survival. After many months of a devastating genocidal war that began in October 2023, Palestinian women continue to endure the loss of homes, families, and livelihoods while attempting to hold together communities shattered by destruction and displacement.

Entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble, forcing countless families into overcrowded camps where women often carry the responsibility of sustaining households alone. The scale of loss is immense: thousands of women have been killed, including many mothers, leaving large numbers of children without maternal care. The result has been a growing generation of orphaned and traumatised young people dependent on surviving relatives, many of whom are women struggling to provide basic necessities.

The crisis has been particularly severe for pregnant and nursing mothers. With hospitals damaged or no longer functioning and medical supplies severely restricted, tens of thousands of women face serious health risks. Reports indicate widespread miscarriages and the rapid spread of disease among displaced communities, while malnutrition and inadequate sanitation further threaten maternal and infant health.

Despite these overwhelming conditions, women in Gaza continue to shoulder the daily burden of caring for families, including orphaned children and elderly relatives. Humanitarian assistance enters only sporadically, leaving shortages of food, medicine, and shelter across the enclave. With reconstruction stalled and the blockade still restricting movement and supplies, survival remains a relentless struggle for women trying to protect the next generation amid the ongoing genocidal war.