As the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip worsens, women are reporting being sexually exploited by various men, some of whom are suspected of being linked to humanitarian organizations, in exchange for food, money, medical aid or work.
Six women described their experiences to the Associated Press, all on condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisals from families or men who approached them, but also because of the social stigma surrounding sexual harassment and abuse in Palestinian society.
According to the testimonies, the men who approached her exploited her desperate need for help, offering assistance in exchange for sex. Some cases included false promises of work with humanitarian organizations, accusations of sexual intercourse under pressure or blackmail, and abusive phone calls demanding photos and sexual acts.
"I wanted to get out of there"
One of the women said that a man who promised her a job at an aid organization took her to an empty apartment, not an office as she had been told, and asked her to remove her headscarf. She described feeling scared and ashamed, and eventually “gave up” so she could leave. He then gave her money and supplies, but the job he had initially talked about did not come until several weeks later.
The 38-year-old mother of six, whose husband was away due to the war and their business had closed, described how, a month after the war began, a man promised her a six-month contract job with a humanitarian organization.
"He complimented me and told me to take off my headscarf," the woman said of the moment he took her to the apartment, where they were supposed to talk about the job he was going to offer her. "He told me he loved me and that he wouldn't pressure me, but he wouldn't let me leave."
The woman admitted that after she tried to leave, he restrained her and had sex, but refused to give details, saying she felt "fear and shame."
The man gave her 100 shekels (about 25 euros) before leaving, and two weeks later brought her a box of medicine and a box of food. Work, however, did not come quickly.
"At first he would ask me simple things: what happened to my husband, how many children do I have. But then he started asking: 'What kind of underwear are you wearing? How do you please your husband?'"
A 35-year-old widow with children reported that a man wearing an UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) uniform took her phone number while she was waiting for help in the Muwasi area, which has been designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone.
A few days later, she started receiving late-night phone calls.
"At first he would ask me simple things: what happened to my husband, how many children do I have. But then he started asking: 'What kind of underwear are you wearing? How do you please your husband?'"
In one of the calls, he asked her to come to his house for sex. She refused and eventually blocked his number.
The woman says she made a verbal complaint to UNRWA in Gaza but was asked to provide audio evidence, which she was unable to provide due to an old phone. UNRWA responded by email that it has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and that complaints are taken seriously without requiring evidence, but would not comment on the specific case.
A 37-year-old mother of four reported that a shelter manager offered her food and shelter on the condition that they go “somewhere together.” The woman understood that the offer was sexual in nature and refused.
Other women said they were approached by men who took their phone numbers as part of the process of providing help, which is common. They said they later received sexually harassing calls, requests for photos and even outright marriage proposals.
Why didn't he report it: "They would say I'm only saying it to find a job"
The PSEA (Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) Network, in which UNRWA also participates, confirmed that in 2024, 18 complaints of sexual abuse or exploitation were registered in connection with the provision of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
The cases involve workers in humanitarian organizations or cooperating individuals, such as volunteers or contractors. Investigations into such incidents are conducted by the accused's employers, and no data has been made public on how many cases are under investigation.
