Gaza’s girls navigate puberty under siege and scarcity

As Israeli air strikes pound their neighbourhoods, young girls in Gaza shelter from the bombs while facing another, quieter upheaval of their own: puberty.

Many girls in the besieged enclave are entering puberty, a time of profound physical and emotional change that would, in normal circumstances, be eased by parental guidance and access to basic resources.

But nearly two years of Israeli genocide have left families unable to provide that support, while menstrual products, clean water and private bathrooms are largely out of reach.

Dima Mohammed, a 12-year-old displaced in Gaza City, expressed her own shock at her body’s changes amid the scarcity of hygiene supplies.

“All our focus is on surviving this war. Sanitary pads are scarce and prohibitively expensive. I don’t have the luxury to think about this right now,” she told Middle East Eye.

“The first time I got my period, I felt as though another burden had been placed on me. I wasn’t ready for it at all.”

Dima's mother told MEE that the Israeli assault had deeply affected her daughter’s mental state, leaving her anxious and withdrawn.

“Under normal circumstances, we would take her to a doctor to check her hormones and iron levels, but the war has destroyed most hospitals and clinics,” she said.

“The lack of clean water, soap, shampoo, sanitary products and privacy further compounds both physical and psychological suffering.”

Growing up amid genocide: Gaza’s girls navigate puberty under siege and scarcity