Gaza, February 7, 2026 (WAFA) – Reem Sweisi
” Single women in Gaza over the age of forty live in exceptional circumstances, where marginalization and the loss of family support make their lives inside displacement tents a daily struggle for survival, in light of the effects of the fierce war on the sector .”
“I used to live in my family home with my father and mother, ” says Ms. Zainab Abdullah, 44, a resident of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, who now lives in a dilapidated tent on the beach in Gaza City to the west . “ I was unlucky enough to get married because I was supporting my father. My father and mother died before the war, and my father wrote in his will that I owned the floor where we lived .”
She adds: “My married brother used to live with us on the same floor, and after the war, the entire house was bombed. That’s when I found myself on the street, as my brother took his wife and children and moved into a tent, and that’s when I became completely alone.”
She continues, saying: “I currently live alone in a tent, and I have to do everything myself. I have become a man who does hard work such as bringing firewood, lighting fires, transporting water, and standing for hours in line at the soup kitchen in the morning to get a bundle of bread.”
She describes her nights by saying: “At night I live in real terror because I am alone in the place and in complete darkness, and what increases my fear are the stray dogs that roam at night between the tents looking for something to eat.”
Regarding the hardship of obtaining aid, being a lonely individual without a social title or official designation, Zainab Abdullah says: “I did not receive any financial or relief aid during the two years of the war.”
She concludes by saying: “We need urgent and immediate social assistance, as our circumstances are very difficult: no provider, no support, no shelter. We live on scraps, if any are available.”
Zainab is not alone in this reality; there are thousands of women who suffer the psychological and social consequences of war, and face harsh conditions that men often cannot bear.
Habiba Al-Rahman Aqel, 33, who lives in a tent with her single sister who suffers from epilepsy, says: “My sister and I live here without a breadwinner, which has made matters worse, as my sister needs monthly treatment for her condition, which requires a large amount of money.”
She adds: “Since we are neither widows nor divorcees, we do not receive any assistance, not even the simplest things like the women’s health package, and this is a major flaw in the aid system. Sometimes we are subjected to a kind of blackmail due to our urgent need, unfortunately.”
Aql says: “I barely manage to secure one meal for us throughout the day from the camp’s soup kitchen.”
She concludes by saying: “I look every day for a job that will allow me and my sister to have a decent life, to the point that I suggested the idea of teaching the Quran to the children of the camp.”
As for Saadia Shreim (66 years old), whose entire family was killed in the bombing of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip months ago, she says: “I live in one of the shelter schools in the north, after I was displaced from the center of the Strip. I do not work, and I live in very difficult conditions.”
She adds: “I went to get the electronic aid coupons, and unfortunately they did not accept my registration because I did not meet the specified conditions for benefiting from the aid. When I filed a complaint about the matter, they told me that the situation could not be changed, and that the conditions apply to everyone.”
She continues, saying: “Many times I am forced to extend my hand to others in a clear insult to my dignity, but I am forced into this situation, as I have no provider, no guardian, and no child to support me in these difficult circumstances.”
According to the system used for registration in the electronic service in the Gaza Strip, the individual’s current address of residence must be in the Gaza Strip, and this includes: the husband (if he is not polygamous), the wife (if the husband is traveling), the divorced person, the widow/widower, and finally the wife if the husband is polygamous.
For families where both parents are abroad or deceased, registration is permitted for the eldest single male son provided he has a personal identification card. If there is no eldest male son, the eldest single female may register provided she has a personal identification card.
This is the situation of thousands of single women in the Gaza Strip. Every day is a struggle for survival for them, and every simple decision becomes a test of dignity and patience. Despite this harsh reality, they continue to struggle silently, holding on to a sliver of hope, searching for any assistance that might alleviate the burden of their lives, in which they have never known safety.
ــــــــــ
S.K.
About the Author
