Gaza Widows Bear Growing Burden Of Holding Families Together: UN
UNITED NATIONS, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 8th Sep, 2026)
Nearly 1 in 4 Gaza households now headed by women, an estimated 86,290 families, face “impossible decisions” every day, amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes and still-scarce resources, according to UN Women.
Sofia Calltorp, Chief of Humanitarian Action at the agency, noted that this represents a significant increase from the pre-October 2023 rate, following the widespread killings of Palestinians that year.
The update comes 11 months after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas fighters. Despite the ceasefire, exchanges of fire continue, and the killing of 246 Palestinian women and girls by Israeli air bombardment and military ground operations in Gaza.
“This equates to six women and girls killed every week between October 2025 and 28 July 2026,” stated Ms. Calltorp.
Across Gaza today, access to food, drinking water, hygiene supplies, and essential services remains severely limited.
Restrictions on humanitarian access, insecurity, and continued Israeli bombardment contribute to the daily challenges faced by women heading households.
"Women heading households are every day forced to make impossible decisions on how to allocate scarce resources, how to access assistance, and simply ensure the survival of those in their care," emphasized Ms. Calltorp.
Her remarks were echoed by the tragic stories of individuals like:
- 18-year-old Raghad Ashour, killed in an Israeli strike on her way to her 11th-grade high school exam in Gaza City.
- 31-year-old Dina Almadhoun, killed in a strike in Gaza City.
- A six-year-old girl killed in a helicopter strike on a displaced family encampment in Khan Younis’ Mawasi area.
According to Gazan health authorities, cited by UN OCHA, the overall reported casualty toll since the ceasefire agreement is 1,303 fatalities and 4,336 injuries.
UN Women’s analysis further reveals that women heading households are more likely to lack shelter, food, and money than male-headed households. They are also more prone to displacement or home destruction.
As a result of the October 2023 war, most of Gaza’s population of around 2.1 million people remains displaced today. Palestinian access to areas beyond what are known as the “Yellow” and “Orange” lines remains restricted by Israeli authorities, leaving over half of the population (58%) facing critical or catastrophic shelter needs.
