Women After War: At the Helm of Rebuilding and Recovery in Gaza

​​​Dalal Iriqat

​As the world recently commemorated International Women's Day, the focus is normally on women's success stories, struggles, and resilience. But when there is war and occupation, as with Palestinian women in Gaza, resilience comes in a particular and most tragic form. While they bear most of the destruction, displacement, and structural violence, they are also the primary drivers of reconstruction and recovery—an aspect that still remains underemphasized in international discourse. The UN Security Council-supported Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda is at the forefront in such scenarios, but exists mostly in name where it is needed most: occupied Palestine.

Women on the Frontlines of Crisis

The Israeli occupation has, for decades, imposed directly and indirectly difficulties on Palestinian women. War and siege for years have kept Gaza in a chronic crisis state, exacerbating GBV, economic marginalization, and decision-making exclusion. The most recent military attack has turned the historical trends of civilian death in Palestine around: whereas traditionally, most victims were men, since October 2023, 70% of the victims have been women and children. Aside from the immediate atrocities of the genocidal war, women are left to spearhead the recovery effort, taking on the task of rebuilding homes, providing food and medical attention, and offering emotional stability for their families.

The Role of Women During Reconstruction

Not only are women victims of war, but they are also crucial peacebuilders and agents of reconstruction. Women's local networks and organizations in Gaza are at the forefront of rebuilding, providing humanitarian aid to those most in need, and advocating for the rights of displaced families. Women's leadership is essential to a long-term recovery in these contexts, but they are seriously underrepresented in official decision-making and political spheres.
 
While men are the public representatives of political negotiations, Palestinian women work behind the scenes—organizing shelters, advocating for psychological counseling, and mobilizing communities to demand accountability. The failure of the international community to integrate women into formal peace processes further entrenches their exclusion. If women were meaningfully included in governance institutions and transitional justice mechanisms, the rebuilding of Gaza after the war could be more equitable and sustainable.

Occupation and Systematic Exclusion

The occupation has systematized gendered violence against women through the cumulative effect of movement restrictions, targeted assassinations, arbitrary arrest and detention, and economic strangulation. Checkpoints, curfews, and the total Gaza blockade restrict access to healthcare, and work, and solidify structural violence. The outcome is a society where women are excluded systematically from the economy and the political sphere even as they must spearhead ground-level recovery processes.
 
Also, UN Women called for justice and accountability against sexual violence as a weapon of war. Still, the reaction from all over the globe remains insufficient. International agencies record abuses but far too frequently fail to make it to their source: the Israeli occupation forces and their extended, relentless oppression of women Palestinians.

A Call for Gender-Inclusive Peace and Justice

Despite the enactment of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which concentrates on the need for women's participation in peace and security mechanisms, and continuous advocacy for the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, Palestinian women remain largely excluded from leadership positions, particularly in politics. Decades of investment by external agencies, donors, and domestic stakeholders in empowering women have not translated into structural change that institutionalizes women's rightful role in policy-making and governance. Colonialism, coupled with very deeply ingrained patriarchy and a masculine-dominated society, has reinforced the marginalization of women's voices. But as Gaza embarks on a long, painful process of post-war reconstruction, Palestinian women must be given a role that demonstrates not only their skills, experience, and education, but also their suffering and resilience. Their contribution to the reshaping of society is essential in a way that goes beyond economic and political reconstruction, and extends to the mental and physical rehabilitation of the entire community.
 
If the international community is seriously committed to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, then it must do more than issue symbolic statements. The enforcement of international law, holding occupying forces accountable for widespread gender-based violence, and guaranteeing Palestinian women's access to decision-making spaces are the prerequisites to justice and healing.
 
Women's role in Gaza reconstruction cannot be an afterthought. Their leadership must be recognized, strengthened, and institutionalized. Palestinian women are not just survivors; they are architects of resilience, community builders, and vital voices in the struggle for justice and sovereignty. Palestinian women are the shapers of tomorrow.
 
This year, let us not just celebrate the strength of women but also demand their rightful place at the table in shaping the future of Palestine—not as victims of war, but as peace leaders.

About the Author
Dalal Iriqat is Associate Professor of Diplomacy and Strategic Thinking at the Arab American University Palestine AAUP.