Around 700,000 women and girls in Gaza are facing an impossible situation when it comes to managing their periods during the ongoing war. Thousands are experiencing their first menstruation while living under bombardment in overcrowded, dirty shelters with no privacy. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says the shortage of pads, clean water, and soap has made it nearly impossible for women and girls to handle their periods with any sense of dignity.
The war has destroyed about 90 percent of Gaza’s water and sanitation systems, turning something as basic as personal hygiene into a major crisis. Israel’s blockade on aid since March wiped out most hygiene supplies, including sanitary pads, though some limited medical supplies and food got through when restrictions were briefly lifted last month.
Women and girls are getting by with less than a quarter of the 10 million sanitary pads they need each month.
“I only had one pad, so I wrapped it in toilet paper to make it last. I couldn’t wash, and the pain was horrible. I sat in silence crying until the end of the day,” one young girl told UNFPA after getting her period while staying in a displacement camp.
Many are using torn clothes, sponges, or dirty rags because they have no other choice. One father from Jabalia said he “tore my only shirt into pieces so my daughters could use them instead of pads.” These makeshift solutions often cause infections and other health problems, but Gaza’s healthcare system is barely functioning.
UNFPA has managed to get menstrual supplies to over 300,000 women and girls since October, but those stocks are running out fast.
“Food keeps us alive, but pads, soap, and privacy let us live with dignity,” said one displaced woman, showing how even basic needs remain out of reach.
