Violence against women, forced marriages surge in Gaza, UN finds

Key Points:

• The United Nations reports a 123% increase in early and forced marriages in Gaza in early 2026, with women aged 18-59 experiencing 68% of gender-based violence amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by the Israel-Hamas war.
• Women and girls are being traded for food, forced into marriages with their rapists, or abandoned by guardians unable to care for them, especially in overcrowded refugee camps where protection is scarce.
• Psychological and emotional violence ranks as the second highest form of gender-based violence, followed by physical, sexual violence, and forced marriages, driven by stress and lack of basic resources like food, water, and hygiene materials.
• Widows and single mothers face heightened risks of sexual abuse and exploitation, with nearly 25% of Gaza households now headed by women, double the pre-war figure.
• In response, President Trump’s Board of Peace announced a $2.45 billion initial recovery plan for Gaza, part of a broader $71 billion reconstruction effort focusing on infrastructure, economic growth, and international security.