UN Women said that at least 557,000 women in Gaza face severe food insecurity, and that the situation is particularly worrying for mothers and adult women, who often prioritize feeding others and face more difficulties than men in obtaining food.

The UN body stated, in a report on Thursday, that this situation forces many women to skip meals or reduce what they eat to ensure their children are fed.

She added that the burdens placed on women during conflicts increase, their access to services is restricted, their health and food security are put at risk, and their risks of exposure to all types of gender-based violence increase.

According to a recent census it conducted across the Gaza Strip, UN Women identified five facts that illustrate how food insecurity affects women in Gaza:

1. Burden of care

Women struggle to protect their children's physical and psychological well-being, while shouldering more care and domestic responsibilities, especially in tents and overcrowded homes.

70% of the survey participants, both women and men, stated that taking care of children, including feeding them and physical care, is mainly the responsibility of the mother.

2.Physical health and weight loss

Food insecurity and malnutrition are widespread in Gaza. 7 out of 10 women interviewed by UN Women reported losing weight in the past 30 days, and more than half reported experiencing frequent dizziness.

3. Food aid

More than 80% of female participants in the census depend on food aid as the main source of food, but 87.3% believe that food aid is not distributed fairly based on family size.

Previous evidence collected by the Authority indicated that mothers are often the last to eat and the least, and 83.5% of participants stated that the aid did not meet their families’ needs.

4. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnant and breastfeeding women face high health risks due to the lack of adequate health and nutritional care. 76% of pregnant women were anemic, and 99% faced challenges in accessing nutritional and supplementary supplies, threatening the health of mothers and newborns.

Among families that include breastfeeding mothers, 55% reported health conditions that hinder their ability to breastfeed their children, and 99% face challenges in providing sufficient breast milk, which jeopardizes the child’s survival, growth and development.

5. Unsafe cooking methods

Only a third of female respondents reported that they had kitchens and were able to cook food. 69% of participants rely on unsafe cooking methods, such as using wood and burning waste, which increases health risks.

Women - who are usually responsible for preparing meals - are exposed to smoke and dangerous pollutants, which leads to respiratory and health problems.

UN Women said that there are several measures that must be taken to address this situation, including allowing unimpeded humanitarian access to all residents of Gaza, providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to the population, providing malnutrition prevention and treatment services, and restoring production and market systems, including rehabilitation. Food production systems as soon as possible.