The ongoing Gaza war has been marked by widespread violence against both Israeli and Palestinian women, including reports of rape and sexual violence against Israeli women by Hamas and affiliated militants during the October 7 attacks and in captivity in Gaza, and reports of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian women by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). At the same time, women have taken on roles as combatants, leadership partners, and participants in informational campaigns.
Following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, there were testimonies and videos indicating that Hamas employed methods of severe torture, including violence and sexual violence against Israeli women and children. Close to 100 Israeli women were taken hostage and held in the Gaza Strip, leading to efforts by Israeli women and organizations to raise awareness and promote their release. The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and UN Women condemned the gender-based violence against Israeli women during the attacks.
In the Gaza Strip, thousands of women have been killed in the Israeli military's massive aerial bombardment of the Strip. Two-thirds of the then 11,000 Palestinian casualties reported by the Gaza Health Ministry in early November were women and children, indicating disproportionate suffering endured by these groups. UN agencies reported severe disruptions in maternal, newborn, and child health services due to bombardments and infrastructure damage. Additionally, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women described the situation as an assault on Palestinian women's dignity and rights. Over 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza face a lack of access to clean water and food, along with limited access to medical supplies and clinics, resulting in increases of infant mortality and the spread of disease.
On 19 February 2024, a group of United Nations special rapporteurs released a report stating "rights experts call for probe into violations against Palestinian women and girls." According to the report, there is evidence that during the Gaza war, Palestinian women and girls were subjected to wartime sexual violence. Palestinian women and girls were reportedly randomly executed in Gaza, often together with their children. Allegations surfaced suggesting that Palestinian women and girls were deliberately targeted and extrajudicially executed by the invading Israel Defense Forces, even when they were holding white pieces of cloth. According to these allegations, Palestinian women and girls were also subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment by the Israel Defense Forces, such as they were denied menstruation pads, food and medicine, and were severely beaten, raped, assaulted, threatened with rape and sexual violence, and subjected to multiple forms of other sexual assaults. Palestinian women and girls were also stripped naked and searched by male Israeli army officers. OHCHR stated that Israeli troops had photographed female detainees in âÂÂdegrading circumstancesâ and that the photos had been uploaded online.
A group of United Nations experts expressed alarm regarding the increasing volume of allegations of sexual violence reportedly perpetrated by armed groups against Israeli and Palestinian women and girls since October 7, 2023. The experts called for an independent process of investigation and accountability.
Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, said that although both genders are affected by these atrocities, women are particularly vulnerable to the consequences.
Areas of armed conflict have increased risks to women and girls for gender-based violence, including sexual assault; UN reporting on cases of gender-based violence has been disrupted due to the displacement of UN workers. Overcrowded facilities being used as shelters, with limited bathrooms, increase those risks. The UNRWA has said that, as of 15 November 2023, that they had not seen an increase in such violence, but a spokesperson cautioned "Both sexual harassment and domestic violence tend to increase in prolonged periods of displacement." Women and men sheltering at UN facilities in the south of Gaza sleep in different sections to try to alleviate some of these risks. The lack of access to medical care also extends to the clinical treatment of rape.
During the war, there were some reports of women being sexually exploited by some aid workers or local men in exchange for aid, food, money or the promise of jobs. Aid organizations and experts said exploitation commonly occurs during times of conflict, and other reports of abuse and exploitation have come to light during such crises such as in South Sudan and Congo.
As of mid-November 2023, two-thirds of the 11,000 Palestinian casualties reported killed by the Gaza Health Ministry since the onset of the war, were women and children. According to a joint statement by UNICEF, the WHO, UNFPA, and the UNRWA, women in Gaza, along with children and newborns, have borne a disproportionate amount of suffering during the war, saying that "the bombardments, damaged or non-functioning health facilities, massive levels of displacement, collapsing water and electricity supplies as well as restricted access to food and medicines, are severely disrupting maternal, newborn, and child health services". The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women said that "Since 7 October, the assault on Palestinian womenâÂÂs dignity and rights has taken on new and terrifying dimensions, as thousands have become victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and an unfolding genocide".
On 25 January 2024, a doctor based in Gaza reported an increase in the number of patients suffering from postpartum depression and postpartum haemorrhages. In March 2024, UN Women called Israel's war on Gaza "a war on women", stating, "While this war spares no one, UN Women data shows that it kills and injures women in unprecedented ways." The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 60,000 pregnant women were suffering from dehydration, malnutrition, and a lack of medical care. The UN stated 95 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women faced severe food poverty. On 15 March 2024, Amal Hamad, the Palestinian Minister of Women's Affairs, told the UN that 9,000 women had been killed by Israel since 7 October and called "all the women of the world to stand by Palestinian women".
In March 2025, a report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, submitted to the Human Rights Council, detailed the systematic use of sexual and gender-based violence by Israeli Security Forces since October 2023. The report documented multiple instances of Israeli soldiers attempting to humiliate Palestinian women by wearing or posing with their underwear and sharing the images online, while referring to them as "prostitutes" and "sluts." The commission also detailed instances of sexual violence directed against Palestinian girls. Female prisoners were forced to pose in degrading circumstances, including in their underwear and in front of an Israeli flag, with the photos also circulated online. They were subjected to sexual assault, harassment, forced nudity, and threats of rape.
Two and a half months into the war, OCHA estimated a total of 20,000 casualties. More than 40% were children, and over 31% were women. During the first 100 days of the war, more than 24,620 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip, around 70 percent of them women or children. At least 3,000 women could have been widowed and become heads of households, while at least 10,000 children may have been left fatherless. UN Women described women and children as the primary casualties of the Gaza war. Five months into the war, the casualties consisted of an estimated 43% children and 29% women. In May 2024, the United Nations adjusted its estimate of the proportion of women and children among those killed in Gaza, reporting that 32% were children, 20% women, 40% men, and 8 percent elderly. In May 2025, UN Women estimated over 28,000 women and girls were killed in Gaza since October 2023, this being one woman and one girl on average killed every hour in attacks by Israeli forces. In July 2025 the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women presented her findings to the Human Rights Council, wherein she states that Israel is intentionally targeting Palestinian women and girls in a manner aimed at destroying them and undermining the continuity of the Palestinian people, a pattern she described as a "femi-genocide." Her report notes that women and girls make up an estimated 67 percent of the 57,680 Palestinians killed as of 9 July 2025.
In early September 2025, total casualties exceeded 64,231. Their composition had changed, with children accounting for at least 30%, and women about 16%. There were 2,596 children who had lost both parents. Furthermore, 53,724 children had lost one parent; 47,804 their father and 5,920 their mother. In November 2025, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated on X that at least 33,000 women and girls were killed by Israel since the October 2023, citing from Gaza's Government Media Office.
Advocacy groups have also alleged that Palestinian women in Gaza have been subject to mass arrests by Israeli soldiers. According to the head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Society, Israel has arrested 153 women in Gaza since the outbreak of the war, including pregnant women. Some women were reportedly detained with their babies.
The United Nations estimates that there are about 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, with more than 160 women giving birth each day. In the first year of the war, an estimated 50,000 babies were born in the Gaza Strip, according to Save the Children. Of the 1.1 million Gazans who were forced to flee northern Gaza following an Israeli evacuation order, 19,000 were estimated to be pregnant women, with some suffering miscarriages due to stress and shock. Many women in shelters endure inadequate access to food and clean water, and are afraid of giving birth without the assistance of a doctor or midwife. With over two-thirds of the territory's hospitals and primary care clinics no longer functioning, and Gaza's treated water production at 5% of normal levels, pregnant women in Gaza face lack of access to medical care, nutrition, and giving birth with no pain killers. Human Rights Watch, citing the lack of prenatal care and access to functioning medical facilities, warned the conflict would lead to increases in both maternal and infant mortalities. Miscarriages in Khan Younis, in the southern portion of the strip were civilians were ordered to evacuate to, were reported to have increased by 20 percent.
An analysis by the UNRWA found that the lack of food security put lactating and pregnant women at increased risk of lower immune function which would lead to higher rates of nutrition-related illnesses such as anaemia, preeclampsia, and haemorrhage along with other maternal malnutrition illnesses, which in turn would lead to higher rates of maternal and infant mortality. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) stated these conditions affected 45,000 pregnant women and 68,000 breastfeeding women. In May 2024, the UNFPA stated 18,500 pregnant women had been forced to flee Rafah due to Israel's attacks on the city. Doctors in Gaza warned in June 2024 of an "alarming increase in miscarriages," with as many as ten women a day experiencing a miscarriage each day. In June 2024, the UNFPA executive director stated, "Women are delivering babies by caesarean section without anesthesia because there's no energy, there's no generator, the medicines are running out." In July 2024, Noor Alyacoubi wrote about her struggles feeding her infant, including breastfeeding to prevent malnutrition. Alaa al-Nimer discussed being forced to give birth in the middle of the street. UN Women stated 55 percent of women reported health conditions impacting their ability to breastfeed, and 99 percent had difficulties obtaining enough breastmilk.
In July 2024, Doctors Without Borders warned about the impact of Gaza's destroyed health system on pregnant women, stating, "The main health risks for pregnant women are blood-pressure related complications such as eclampsia, hemorrhage, and sepsisâÂÂwhich can become deadly if not treated in time". In August 2024, the United Nations called for additional aid for pregnant women, stating "thousands of breastfeeding and pregnant women in the Gaza Strip are facing hunger and malnutrition of their children". In November 2024, hospital staff at al-Awda Hospital stated that Israeli forces shot two women entering the hospital who were about to give birth and who died bleeding in the street. In July 2025, Doctors Without Borders reported that mothers and newborns in Gaza faced extreme hardship. Damaged hospitals and fuel shortages endangered premature babies, with some dying during power cuts. Many pregnant women were malnourished and lacked prenatal care, leading to complications and early births. Overcrowded neonatal units and limited supplies made even basic care difficult.
Due to the lack of clean water and access to menstrual hygiene products, many women in Gaza were reported to be taking norethisterone to delay their periods. Human Rights Watch reported that, given the lack clean water supplies to manage their menstrual hygiene, women face increased risks of hepatitis B and thrush.
The United Nations experts have expressed deep concern regarding the arbitrary imprisonment of numerous Palestinian women and girls, including human rights activists, journalists, and aid workers, in Gaza and the West Bank. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), many of them have endured cruel treatment, lack of basic necessities like menstrual pads, food, and medication, as well as brutal physical abuse. There have been instances where Palestinian women in Gaza were allegedly confined in a cage in harsh weather conditions without any sustenance.
The experts further highlighted reports of sexual violence against Palestinian women and girls in detention, such as invasive searches conducted by male Israeli soldiers. It has been reported that at least two female detainees were sexually assaulted, while others were threatened with similar acts. Additionally, the experts mentioned that the Israeli army allegedly took degrading photos of female detainees and shared them online.
Women in the occupied West Bank have struggled with insecurity brought about by the ongoing conflict, including invasive searches and heightened travel restrictions. According to the director of the Women Union Committee in Jenin, "The psychological and economic suffering [Palestinian] women face is beyond imagination. When their husbands are in prison, or killed, or prevented from working in Palestine, the Palestinian women suffer." United Nations experts referred to "draconion restrictions on family unification and freedom of movement", as well as the risk of "arbitrary arrest and detention by Israeli occupation forces, which has kept [women] confined to their homes and deprived of their livelihoods," describing this risk as constant. The experts urged Israel to fulfill its duty as an occupying power to "prevent and protect women and girls ... from arbitrary detention, discrimination, and violence".
92 Israeli and foreign women and girls were taken hostage and held in Gaza during the October 7 attack. The majority of Israeli women and all Israeli girls held hostage were released during the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas at the end of November 2023. As of May 2024, it is known that 9 female hostages died in captivity, while 12 female hostages are believed to be held hostage alive by Israeli intelligence officials. Many women in Israel have been affected by the slowdown in the economy during the war. Mothers struggle to return to work as child care frameworks have been suspended or operated in a partial emergency format. Many women had to move from their homes due to the evacuation of settlements. Independent women or business owners experienced even more severe economic damage due to the inability to operate their business during the war. It was also found that many women were put on unpaid leave and the economic consequences of the war on the labor market affected women more than men.
Women's involvement in combat roles in the IDF has increased significantly since the beginning of the 21st century, to the point that most combat roles are open to women, including flight, naval officers, armored corps, field intelligence, border police, special forces and more. Israel is one of a handful of countries where there is a mandatory conscription law for women.
7 Israeli female soldiers were taken hostage from the attack on the Nahal Oz military base, with one soldier rescued on October 30, 2023, one soldier dying in captivity, and five soldiers still held as hostages as of May 2024. Noa Argamani, a female hostage taken from the Nova music festival was rescued by the IDF on June 8, 2024, in Nuseirat.
There were attempts, led by Israeli women, to raise awareness for the hostage crisis, and to promote the hostages release.
In the October 7 attacks, 14 field observers from Battalion 414 at Nahal Oz base were killed, an unprecedented number of female field soldiers killed in battle. Seven field observers were taken hostage. Additional field observers were locked in the war room and continued to work. From testimony after the event, it appears that in the months preceding the surprise attack, the field observers warned of Hamas' preparations for an attack, intelligence gathering and unusual training. According to the field observers, throughout this period, the senior command refused to listen to the warnings. "This is an apparatus made up entirely of young women and commanders," says one of them. "There is no doubt that if men were sitting at these screens, things would look different."
Women in the Caracal Battalion tank unit joined the fighting against dozens of Hamas militants on Highway 232 in the Gaza envelope. Later the crew identified four militants in Moshav Yated and subdued them. The crew continued driving the tank towards Holit, broke through the gate of the kibbutz and advanced to the focal point of the incident together with other fighters, They engaged for about 40 minutes against a squad of 20 militants until the militants were repelled and killed.
Lt. Col. Or Ben Yehuda, commander of the Caracal Battalion, fought at the head of a force that killed 15 armed Hamas militants in Yated after long hours of fighting. In the Battle of Sufa her battalion killed over a hundred Hamas militants under her command, and together with Shayetet 13 cleared the outpost of infiltrators saving the lives of dozens of soldiers.
Women in the Israeli Air Force performed a variety of roles from the first day of the war. This includes pilots, combat navigators, and unmanned aerial vehicle operators. For the first time, 2 women were set to enter the elite 669 search and rescue unit.
Female officers played a significant role in Israel Police activities with the outbreak of the war. Six policewomen were killed in the line of duty. Staff Sergeant Major Mor Shakuri was killed in a fight with militants on the roof of the Sderot Police Station. Senior policewomen were killed in battle with militants in Yakhini and Kibbutz Re'im.