The ongoing war in the Gaza Strip has created a serious humanitarian and social crisis, where more than 22,000 women have become widows and are now the sole earners for their families. This was revealed in a recent report by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.
According to the study titled “Women Breadwinners in the Gaza Strip: War Economy and the Reproduction of Social Poverty,” the deaths of primary earners in the war have completely transformed the family structure. As a result, thousands of children have also become orphaned or semi-orphaned.
The report states that this shift is happening at a time when Gaza’s economy has nearly collapsed. The labor market has broken down, and the unemployment rate among women has reached record levels. The informal economy has expanded, relying mainly on aid and unstable jobs. In such conditions, women are forced to support their families without adequate resources.
The study also found that women are now carrying a dual burden—managing economic responsibilities while also taking on caregiving roles. Meanwhile, the lack of an effective social security system has further intensified their economic, psychological, and social challenges.
The report warns that these changes are not temporary, but rather signal deep transformations in society. If long-term economic empowerment policies are not implemented alongside emergency relief, this situation could deepen poverty for generations to come.
Field data further highlights the severity of this tragedy. Around 6,020 families are now dependent on a single member, often a woman or a child. Meanwhile, nearly 2,700 families have been completely wiped out, and their names have been removed from the civil registry.
According to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the deaths of husbands and the arrest of thousands of men have left a large number of women shouldering the sole responsibility of their families under extremely difficult conditions. This situation underscores the urgent need for social and economic reconstruction in Gaza.