NAGHAM KARAJEH

Gaza- Women all around the world took to the streets on International Women’s Day, March 8, demanding their rights, gender equality, the elimination of discrimination, the end of wars, femicide and gender-based violence and the construction of a democratic and free society all over the world.

 While all women were voicing their demands, Palestinian women welcomed International Women’s Day amid destruction caused by Israel’s attacks. Having been displaced multiple times, Palestinian women have faced difficult living conditions in shelters without water, power, food and medical supplies and experienced both physical and psychological trauma. Despite all the challenges, they never give up struggling by setting up tents on the rubble of their homes destroyed in Israel’s attacks following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

She could not return to her home

Wafa Al-Rafeed was displaced from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza in October 2024 by Israel’s attacks. Since then, she has lived in a torn tent at the Yarmouk stadium, which was turned into a makeshift camp for displaced people. She could return to her home due to the complete destruction of northern Gaza although a ceasefire agreement was reached between Hamas and Israel and came into effect on January 19, 2025.

“In October 2024, the Israeli forces intensified their attacks and I had to leave my home to avoid being killed. I still cannot believe how we could have survived that hell. We did not take anything with us because we only tried to save us.”

Wafa Al-Rafeed suffers from a respiratory disease due to air pollution caused by Israeli bombardments. “My health is deteriorating because I could not find medication to treat my respiratory disease. One of my children suffers from a skin disease. We have to eat expired canned food that causes food poisoning. I have no clothes other than this dress. We receive humanitarian aid but it is insufficient. Due to the lack of water, I cannot wash our clothes. We have no water, sufficient food and power even after the ceasefire.”

The husband of Wafa Al-Rafeed suffers a stroke and she is the only breadwinner of her family. “My children go to the distribution centers to bring food because I have to take care of my husband. I thought our life would be better after the ceasefire; however, our suffering continues.”

Her dream is to have a tent!

Mufida Sobh is one of the Palestinian women struggling to survive in tents. “My dream is now to have a tent to protect my children from the cold weather,” she told NuJINHA. “We have no clean water and sufficient food. We have to wait in lines for hours to get food at the distribution centers. I am looking for a job to buy milk for my two daughters.”

‘Where are our rights?’

Mufida Sobh also talked about International Women’s Day. “Women’s rights are talked about all over the world, where are our rights while we are starving and humiliated at distribution centers?” she asked. “Yes, we managed to flee from bombardments but we cannot flee from this humiliating life.”

‘Women suffer from trauma’

“Women have paid the heavy price in the war on the Gaza Strip,” said Reham Abu Youssef, a psychologist in Gaza. “The war has left not only Gaza in destruction but also an immense psychological destruction in the souls of Palestinian women. Women in Gaza are not only mothers, doctors or nurses but also the only breadwinners of their families. They struggle against hunger, poverty and diseases alone, without receiving any support.”

Palestinian women have suffered from psychological trauma, Reham Abu Youssef stressed. “Their loved ones were killed in front of them. Therefore, they have serious mental health problems such as stress, trauma, anxiety and depression. They need not only food and water but also someone, who listens to them and feels what they feel. As women of Gaza, we are not just figures in reports. We are the women, who have lost their children, husbands, relatives and their source of income. We did not choose this life but it was imposed on us. Despite everything, we keep resisting.”