UN Reports Surge in Forced Marriages, Women Traded for Food in Gaza

Women in Gaza are reportedly being traded for food and forced into marriages with their perpetrators, according to recent United Nations reports. These findings underscore the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Palestinian enclave.

The United Nations' Population Fund (UNFPA) reported a 123% increase in early and forced marriage incidents in Gaza during the first quarter of 2026. The reports indicate that women between the ages of 18 and 59 constitute 68% of all gender-based violence (GBV) cases in the region.

Interviews with women in Gaza revealed instances where young girls were married off to their rapists, exchanged for food, or given up by guardians overwhelmed by the crisis. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities, leading to desperate measures for survival.

"The second highest form of GBV reported was psychological and emotional violence, followed by physical violence, sexual violence, and forced and early marriage," the UNFPA researchers stated in one report. "These trends are attributed to heightened stress felt by women and men forced to live in inadequate and overcrowded shelters and continued limited access to basic resources including food, water, basic hygiene materials and clothing."

A second UNFPA report, which documented the experiences of 230 women in refugee camps in Gaza City and Khan Younis, detailed specific instances of exploitation. One woman shared that rape victims are sometimes compelled to marry their attackers to avoid social stigma. "When rape cases are discovered in schools, you find weddings and celebrations at the school the next day," she recounted.

Another account described a father marrying off his 14-year-old daughter in exchange for two bags of flour to feed his other children. Some families, facing the dangers within overcrowded camps, opt to marry off their daughters early, believing a husband might offer protection. Orphaned girls are identified as particularly vulnerable to sexual violence.

Guardians have also reportedly abandoned girls, marrying them off to relieve the financial burden and responsibility, especially after parents have been killed in the conflict. Widows and single mothers face heightened risks, with women now heading nearly 25% of households in Gaza, a significant increase since the war began.

The humanitarian crisis persists as skirmishes between Hamas and Israel continue. Approximately 2.1 million Palestinians remain displaced, with Israel controlling about 70% of the territory. In response to the escalating situation, President Trump's Board of Peace announced a multi-phase recovery plan for Gaza, with the initial phase costing $2.45 billion over six months. The comprehensive reconstruction effort is estimated to cost $71 billion.