New UN Population Fund (UNFPA) analyses reveal a worrying escalation of gender‑based violence (GBV) in the Gaza Strip. The data, drawn from ten partner organisations and testimonies of more than 200 displaced women, show that the protracted conflict has created conditions in which women and girls face dramatically higher risks of forced marriage, sexual abuse and related harms.
What the reports show
The UNFPA task force documented several key trends:
- Early and forced marriage: Cases reported in the second quarter of 2026 were up 123 % compared with the first quarter.
- Sexual‑violence incidents: Reports rose from 2.1 % to 2.7 % of all GBV cases, a 61 % increase in absolute numbers.
- Demographic profile: Women aged 18‑59 accounted for the majority of survivors; adolescent girls made up about 8 % of cases.
These figures are based on testimonies from 230 women living in crowded camps in Gaza City and Khan Younis, as well as broader data collected by humanitarian partners.
Drivers of the surge
UNFPA officials, including representative Nestor Owomuhangi, attribute the spike to several inter‑related factors:
- Displacement and loss of shelter: Nearly all of Gaza’s two‑million residents have been forced into tents or makeshift shelters, eroding privacy and increasing vulnerability.
- Economic desperation: Families facing extreme poverty sometimes exchange a daughter’s marriage for food or other essentials, as illustrated by accounts of a 14‑year‑old married for two bags of flour.
- Breakdown of legal safeguards: The war disrupted Islamic courts that previously oversaw marriage approvals, allowing some judges to sanction unions for children as young as 14 years and seven months.
- Stigma around sexual assault: Fear of shame and retaliation leads many survivors to remain silent, pushing some families to arrange marriages for rape victims in an attempt to “preserve modesty.”
Impact on girls and women
Early marriage carries severe health and social consequences. Women married in their early teens are far more likely to experience miscarriages, deliver underweight infants, and suffer long‑term physical complications. The reports also note that school closures have forced many girls out of education, while boys are pressured into informal work to support households.
One displaced woman recounted that, after a rape was discovered in a school‑turned shelter, the next day “weddings and celebrations” were held at the same site, underscoring how quickly social norms can shift under duress.
Humanitarian response and challenges
Aid agencies argue that improving basic humanitarian conditions could mitigate many of the risks identified. Key recommendations include:
- Allowing higher‑quality shelters and sanitation facilities into Gaza to reduce overcrowding and improve safety at night.
- Providing confidential reporting mechanisms for sexual‑violence survivors.
- Supporting education programmes that keep girls in school despite displacement.
- Targeted assistance for widows and households now headed by women, which have doubled since the war began.
UNFPA stresses that while data collection remains difficult, the trends are “shocking” and demand urgent attention from both humanitarian actors and the parties to the conflict.
Looking ahead
Long‑term solutions will require rebuilding Gaza’s social infrastructure, restoring legal protections for minors, and addressing the underlying economic desperation that fuels early marriage. Until such measures are in place, the surge in GBV is likely to continue, compounding the humanitarian crisis already faced by the population.
For those affected by these issues, assistance is available through BBC Action Line in the United Kingdom.