Gaza Widows Struggle to Raise Families Alone Amid War and Displacement

Widowed mothers in Gaza are facing some of the harshest consequences of the ongoing war, struggling to care for their children amid displacement, destroyed homes, insecurity and severe shortages of basic necessities.

Mona al-Masri, a mother of four children aged between two and nine, lost her husband, Mohammed, in an Israeli air strike in September 2024. She now shoulders the responsibility of providing for her family while living in a displacement tent in northern Gaza.

Each day, Mona searches for water, secures food and tries to protect her children from the difficult conditions surrounding them.

«“There is no normal life inside the tent. Every day begins with the same questions: how will we secure our needs, and how will we get through another day surrounded by this exhaustion?” she said.»

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Social Development, the number of widows in the territory has risen to more than 50,000. The figure includes more than 28,000 women who became widows during the war, alongside more than 22,500 who were already registered before the conflict.

Ministry spokesperson Aziza al-Kahlout said the actual number could be higher because many women have not yet been officially registered.

She said widows require more than emergency financial assistance, stressing the need for healthcare, psychological and social support, legal assistance, education, vocational training and programmes that can help women become economically self-reliant.

Psychological Burden

The loss of a husband has also created a heavy psychological burden for thousands of women and their children, particularly when accompanied by displacement and the destruction of homes.

Psychologist Aseel Abu Shaweesh said many widows are forced to suppress their grief while taking on new responsibilities and trying to remain strong for their children.

“Many women are forced to hide their grief and emotional collapse so they can carry on in front of their children,” she said, warning that constant pressure and the inability to process their loss can lead to severe anxiety and psychological exhaustion.

Children who lose a parent can also experience lasting emotional difficulties, including fear, sleep problems and behavioural changes.

For women such as Mona, the struggle is not only about mourning the loss of their husbands. They must also find ways to feed, shelter and protect their children while rebuilding their lives in the middle of a devastating humanitarian crisis.

Humanitarian and social workers say sustained financial, psychological, medical and legal support is urgently needed to help Gaza’s widows and their children cope with the consequences of war.

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