On March 18th, Israel resumed military operations in Gaza, using extensive airstrikes against civilians in Gaza which formally broke a nearly two-month-long ceasefire. The attacks have resulted in almost 700 deaths and hundreds of injured people with the Gaza Ministry of Health (MoH) reporting that many of the casualties are children. This is as the overall number of those reported by the MoH as killed by Israel surpasses 50,000. This new wave of airstrikes is continuing to inflict heavy casualties and drive new waves of displacement amidst a dire humanitarian crisis, which was made worse following the renewed aid blockades enacted by Israel on March 2nd.
In Women for Women International’s “From Asking to Action” global consultation with over 6,500 women affected by conflict, 73% of the women we spoke to in Palestine described displacement as one of their most common experiences in Gaza and the West Bank. Following Israel’s recent violation of the ceasefire, those displaced families are seeking reprieve in shelters amidst a dismal humanitarian crisis. Palestinians in Gaza face severe shortages of basic supplies, food, and medical care – including essential reproductive and maternal healthcare for women and girls.
Now more than ever, our global community must act in solidarity with Palestinian women, ensuring their voices shape the path toward peace, justice, and recovery. The people of Gaza need more than temporary relief — they need freedom, dignity, and assurance of a safe future.
Our partner Buthaina, the Executive Director for Wefaq, told us: "We are not asking for charity; we are demanding our right to live. We are exhausted from rebuilding Gaza after every war, only to watch it be destroyed again. We do not want to build a city over mass graves — we want to build a safe future for our children. Ending the occupation is the only path to peace."
Women for Women International is calling for:
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An immediate ceasefire and protection of civilians in Gaza.
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The UN Security Council and all international actors must hold all parties accountable for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, this includes preventing any arms or weapons transfers which would undermine the goal of a permanent ceasefire. This will be an essential first step toward de-escalating military operations and rebuilding Gaza. The ceasefire must be upheld, and any attempts to undermine, violate, or abandon it must be strongly condemned.
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Restoration of humanitarian aid, especially gender-responsive humanitarian aid, including through direct support for the women’s rights organizations playing a crucial role in supporting bereaved mothers and girls, advocating for their rights, addressing their grief, and ensuring their protection from both ongoing and potential violence.
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Palestinian women surveyed in Women for Women’s International’s “From Asking to Action” global consultation of more than 6,500 women identified that healthcare and sanitation facilities (70%) and separate and secure living spaces for women and children (75%) were among the top two considerations for ensuring that shelters and refugee camps better served the needs of women.
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Though Palestinian women we surveyed identified many specific priorities such as comprehensive healthcare access (69%), economic empowerment programs (62%), safe housing and infrastructure (64%), and legal assistance and protection (58%) for the post-conflict reconstruction and resettlement process, the most common need identified was trauma counseling and psychological support (71%).
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The full, equal and meaningful participation of women in any political and peace processes and negotiations shaping Gaza’s future, ending the occupation in the West Bank, and designing reconstruction efforts within a permanent ceasefire.
We urge international organizations and decision-makers to push for not only an end to the humanitarian blockades but for an end to the violence and occupation as a path to long-term peace in Palestine.