CIVICUS discusses the situation in Palestine, the impacts on women and girls and the prospects for a ceasefire with Tahreer Araj, executive director of the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). Founded in 1998, MIFTAH is an independent Palestinian civil society organisation that promotes democracy and dialogue.

The genocide unleashed after 7 October 2023 has disproportionately affected Palestinian women, who face the effects of extreme violence and displacement as well as gendered forms of violence, including sexual violence. To achieve sustainable peace, the international community must implement a ceasefire, uphold the decisions of the International Court of Justice, hold those responsible for atrocities accountable and ensure the active participation of women in the peace process.

How is the conflict affecting Palestinian women and girls?

While all of Palestine has long lived under settler-colonial apartheid, the current crisis has had a severe impact on women and girls, particularly in Gaza where around 70 per cent of those killed have been women and children. More than 12,000 women have already lost their lives in this crisis, and many more have repeatedly experienced displacement, losing their homes, belongings and any sense of security.

The situation is particularly difficult for pregnant women and mothers. Israeli attacks on hospitals have forced many pregnant women to give birth in tents, on the street or on the floor in shelters, without anaesthesia or basic medical attention. More than 30,000 have become a sole parent and now face the almost impossible task of caring for their children on their own. In a context of food and water shortages, they are becoming the breadwinners while also grieving for their lost loved ones.

Here’s a story that illustrates the struggles of Palestinian women. A pregnant woman in Gaza was fleeing her home with her husband and three children when a sniper shot her husband. She called an ambulance but it never arrived. Her husband died and his body lay in the street for a week before she was able to retrieve it. A month later, her 10-year-old twins were killed in a bomb attack as they stood in line at a bakery. Two months later, her eldest daughter, aged 14, was killed in another bombing while trying to fetch water for her pregnant mother. The mother, now pregnant and alone, was finally taken to a hospital for a C-section. But shortly after the delivery the hospital was bombed, killing the mother and her baby.

There is no safe place in Gaza. Palestinians have lost their homes and their children, and they are starving. Not even hospitals, shelters or humanitarian tents are safe. People are constantly bombed, arrested and harassed even in supposedly safe humanitarian zones. Those who end up in Israeli prisons are physically, mentally and sexually abused. Some are locked in filthy cells, forced to endure inhumane conditions with little hope of release or justice.

As the community remains silent, it’s hard to maintain the hope this will end, and perpetrators will be brought to justice. Many in Gaza fear they will die, but they still hold on to hope that one day we will be free and safe.

What do you think of the international response so far?

The international community has failed to stop the genocide, not because it can’t, but because it won’t. We need less talk and more action, including political and economic sanctions and a two-way arms embargo. Accountability is key.

We’ve been calling for a ceasefire since day one, but we soon realised there was no political will to stop the violence. Even western feminist movements seem to be selective in the causes they support. They are supporting Afghan, Ukrainian and Yemeni women, but completely ignoring the suffering of Palestinian women.

The international community seems disconnected from the realities of Palestinian women. A United Nations (UN) report on the gendered impact of the crisis in Gaza makes no mention of genocide. When the head of UN Women recently visited Gaza, she was surprised to see so few women in public spaces, but completely ignored the fact that women are constantly moving in search of food, water and shelter for their children. The UN seems more concerned that women are being harassed by Palestinian men than that they are being killed by Israelis. By applying its external lens, the international community fails to see how Palestinian women are struggling to survive this genocide.

How is global solidarity making a difference?

Global solidarity for Palestine has been powerful, particularly student-led efforts in Europe and the USA. Civil society around the world amplifies Palestinian voices, but governments often fail to translate this solidarity into policies and tangible action.

But global solidarity needs to be stronger. Palestinian groups should continue to raise public awareness and engage with officials by organising international advocacy tours, meeting with parliamentarians, talking to student movements and working with solidarity groups in the Arab world, Europe and the USA. This kind of activism will broaden the solidarity movement.

But for these efforts to lead to real change, governments must listen to the people who support Palestinian rights and take action. Our hope lies in a global movement that can push for accountability and justice, and challenge the oppressive policies affecting Palestinians.

What must happen for this crisis to end?

We need an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the unconditional flow of humanitarian aid. The people of Gaza have been without food, water and medical supplies for over a month. Milk, diapers, baby food and gas are also in short supply. This humanitarian assistance cannot be delayed, especially as winter approaches. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, also plays a crucial role in providing vital support to Palestinian communities. Strengthening and defending UNRWA would protect millions of Palestinians who rely on its services.

The ceasefire must be followed by a just and lasting solution to the crisis that began long before the 7 October attacks. Palestinian people have lived under colonial apartheid for over 76 years. It is time for our right to self-determination to be recognised and for systemic violence, displacement and oppression to end. Justice will only be achieved when Palestinians have a right to live free and safe in their homeland. This is also the only way to ensure our rights are protected long after the ceasefire.

How can justice be achieved?

The avenues for international accountability are the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), but many states have resisted and obstructed their work through political pressure. This only limits their ability to deliver impartial justice. To effectively investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes and violations of international law, these courts must be able to operate independently, without outside interference.

We urgently need the protection of the international community. Soldiers and settlers who commit acts of violence against Palestinians must be held accountable. Member states must uphold and enforce ICC and ICJ rulings to stop the violence and ensure Israel is held accountable for its crimes.