Today, 08 March, marks International Women’s Day, an occasion to draw attention to the Palestinian women- not to celebrate but to be a witness to their suffering. For nearly a year and a half, women endured a genocidal war that has inflicted massive destruction and left deep indelible scars. Women in Gaza bear the consequences of the crime of genocide, including the loss of their beloved ones, severe injuries, lack of shelter, destruction of livelihoods, collapse of the healthcare system, starvation policy, and the absence of bare necessities for a decent life. The ceasefire was declared about a month and a half ago, but the genocidal war continues its slow killing, with its effects still ravaging women’s bodies and souls, writing chapters of pain and suffering unseen before in the modern history.
Israel’s war machine systematically and brutally targeted women and killed them just as they targeted life itself, as more than 12,316 women were killed; some burned to death, while others’ bodies shattered to pieces, in an attempt to erase their identity completely. Amid the rubble, there were horrific scenes of women shot by Israeli snipers in cold blood and others killed while hugging their children in a final attempt to save them from certain death.
Some women survived death, but they were not spared from deep and severe injuries that have changed their lives. Hundreds of them lost their limbs, and their bodies were disfigured by burns and injuries, leaving scars that will never heal. Each one of them carries endless pain after losing a part of her body, her identity, and the dignified life she had before the war. All of this happened amid the systematic destruction of the healthcare system due to the Israeli genocidal campaign and a suffocating siege that deprives them of receiving the necessary treatment.
“An Israeli missile killed my mother, my sister and my niece, and amputated my legs. I was thrown ten meters away by the force of the explosion. When I woke up, I didn’t recognize my body. I couldn’t scream or cry, as pain spoke louder than words. I can no longer walk, move, or live my life as I once did. My future has become uncertain, without a home, without education, and without treatment. The days feel unbearably long, weighed down by endless thoughts of how did the IOF deprive me of leading a normal human life? How did they turn me, in an instant, into a person with a disability, without a mother or a sister? It’s an indescribable feeling! I am still waiting to be allowed to travel for treatment and to get a prosthetic limb that will give me a chance to regain part of what I lost.1“
Nour al-Dalou (18) said to PCHR’s staff
During the Israeli genocide, women in Gaza bore the heaviest burdens. They carried on their shoulders the pain of loss, as they lost their children, fathers, mothers, brothers, and beloved ones. Some of them couldn’t even find graves to visit, and they were denied the chance for a final farewell. They had no space to even mourn their losses as every day brought with it a new tragedy, and each night was more violent than the one before.
“My heart is overwhelmed with pain, and sorrow mercilessly ravages my soul. For the first time, I truly understand the meaning of brokenness, and how the heart is crushed when we lose our beloved ones. I never imagined that loss could reach this extent. I lost my brother ‘Abdullah, and a week later, I lost my dear colleague, lawyer Noor Abu Noor, as if fate wasn’t content with just one tragedy. It was another shock. We worked together at PCHR’s office for over five years, how ambitious she was! She dreamed of completing her PhD, but death took her away before she could achieve that dream. The wounds have not yet healed, and just months later, I lost my second brother. I can no longer comprehend these successive losses, each one slowly eroding my ability to endure and move on.”
Our colleague at PCHR, lawyer Samah ‘Ashour, said
Israel has implemented measures that prevent childbirth in Gaza, where women were left unprotected under the indiscriminate bombardment, deprived of bare medical care, and struggling to access almost nonexistent medical services. They also suffer from the Israeli—imposed starvation policy that weakens their bodies and endure living conditions that turn every moment into imminent danger. As a result, many lost their fetuses or experienced premature births in life-threatening conditions, while others faced severe complications that threatened their pregnancies and lives, intensifying their pain.
“I was nine months pregnant when the IOF raided our house in Khan Yunis and sent a dog equipped with a camera to search it. The dog bit me, causing critical injuries to my thigh and severe bleeding. The dog not only bit me but also dragged me on the ground for over 15 meters as I tried to push it away and begged the soldiers to stop, but they were laughing, as if they were watching an entertaining scene. I was already in immense pain from the pregnancy, and the bleeding only made it worse. At the hospital, I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, requiring an urgent C-section. Unfortunately, I lost my fetus due to the pre-eclampsia and excessive bleeding. I had been eagerly waiting for the birth of my child and holding him in my arms, but the IOF mercilessly stole that joy from me. To this day, I am still suffering an indescribable psychological pain.2“
Tahreer al-‘Aryian (34) said to PCHR’s staff
Some women found themselves trapped in an unabated daily battle after losing their sole breadwinner, suddenly bearing responsibilities weighing too much on them in the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip, where there is no food, shelter, or source of income. The IOF also
imposed a harsh starvation policy that pushed women and children to the brink of death, with women unable to feed their starving children. Amid the groans and cries of their children from hunger, those women did not hesitate to prioritize their children over themselves. This has led to exhaustion and malnutrition ravaging their frail bodies up to this day.
“After my husband was killed, responsibility weighed heavily on me. He was the backbone and breadwinner of our family. I have no source of income to support us, nor enough food for my children due to the Israeli siege. With every meal, I prioritize my children over myself, but exhaustion overwhelms me, along with the feeling of helplessness in securing their most basic rights.3“
Zainab Abu al-‘Atah (49), a widow and mother of 6 children, said to PCHR’s staff
Despite the ceasefire, the suffering of Gaza’s women did not stop; it continued unabatedly. Thousands of women remain displaced, with no shelter, sleeping on the floor in the open air amid inhumane and unsafe conditions. They are deprived of warmth, healthy food, clean water, and bare essentials for human dignity, amidst the destruction of all infrastructure and essential services like water, electricity, and fuel. Injured and amputee women are unable to regain their former lives, living in an environment that lacks proper medical care and rehabilitation programs. Other women endure the bitter pain of losing their children and beloved ones, leaving deep scars in their bodies and souls that will accompany them for decades. These women face a harsh reality that strips them of any chance of recovery in a time they have to bear the responsibility of supporting their families, performing household chores, and caring for their beloved ones.
“The war has destroyed our lives and deprived us of everything. We have lost our beloved ones, our homes, and our stability. Also, our most basic needs are now beyond our reach, even after the ceasefire. I don’t feel any difference, other than the temporary halt of the bombing. I am completely exhausted and nervous all the time. I can’t bear any more stress. We have no source of income, and my clothes don’t protect me from this biting cold. Now, we are living in a tent inside a school, surrounded by sewage, in unbearable conditions. We suffer from an acute shortage of clean water and food, and we only receive a little from the field kitchens, which is barely enough for one day. I feel like we are trapped in an endless cycle of suffering.“
Amira al-‘Abed (29), married, said to PCHR’s staff
Over the past days, negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire have made no progress, and the siege on the Gaza Strip has tightened once again, with humanitarian aid entry blocked. At the same time, the Israeli Government is preparing to implement what it calls the “Hell Plan,” which includes relocating residents from northern Gaza to the south again, cutting electricity, and fully resuming its genocidal war. Amid this, women’s fears are
growing about the return of massacres and indiscriminate bombardment, with the specter of death and loss looming over Gaza once more. Additionally, there are growing concerns about the return of famine, after hunger has already weakened their bodies and threatened their children’s lives, as the IOF deliberately uses starvation as a weapon of war again. Women in the Gaza Strip can no longer endure the lack of food, clean water, shelter, and safety, alongside the psychological suffering that surrounds them from all sides.
This genocide has not ended yet. It continues to erase future generations, leaving scars that will never heal in the lives of the survivors, who now face a reality harsher than death itself amid no reconstruction, no shelter, no stability, and no hope of a near decent future.
On International Women’s Day, PCHR calls:
