Growing up amid genocide: 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mother told MEE that the Israeli assault had deeply affected her daughter’s mental state, leaving her anxious and withdrawn.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.”

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Another 12-year-old girl, Maryam Ahmed, also described shock at the first signs of puberty. Blushing with embarrassment, she said: “I wasn’t ready at all, neither psychologically nor physically.”

Her mother explained: “Normally, I would take my daughter to a doctor during this stage, prepare her mentally, and provide suitable clothing for a small celebration to encourage wearing the hijab. But surviving daily life in Gaza under war hasn’t allowed us to do any of that. 

“There are no sanitary pads, no materials for personal hygiene, and no privacy. All of this worsens their suffering and mental strain.”

Shortage of sanitary pads

Other girls, however, experienced unexpected changes to their periods, which they attributed to stress and anxiety.

“My period stopped during the first week of the war, even though I had it twice before. I don’t know if it was from fear because of the heavy bombardment around us or from hormonal changes,” Lamar Sharif, 13, told MEE shyly.

'There are no sanitary pads, no materials for personal hygiene, and no privacy. All of this worsens their suffering and mental strain'

- Mother of 12-year-old Maryam

“I couldn’t see a doctor. The shelling never stops, the war goes on, and basic supplies, like water, hygiene products, are either unavailable or too expensive. All of this becomes secondary amid everything else that’s happening.”

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimated that in 2024, around 691,300 women and girls of menstruating age were living in the Gaza Strip, including thousands experiencing their first periods. This translates into a monthly need for approximately 10,369,500 menstrual pads, assuming an average use of 15 pads per person.

But since the beginning of its genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip, Israel has heavily restricted the entry of hygiene supplies, including sanitary pads delivered through international aid or goods.

The shortage has made these products either impossible to find or unaffordable at inflated prices. Even when available, prices are often five times higher than before the war, putting them beyond the reach of many families.

With little else available, many women and girls have been forced to rely on makeshift alternatives, such as torn pieces of cloth.

Mental toll of puberty

Menstruation, normally a routine stage of growth, has become a source of stress, shame and anxiety for girls and their families in Gaza.

In crowded shelters and displacement camps, privacy is almost impossible, stripping them of dignity.

Palestinian psychologist Anhar Farajallah says girls face heightened physical and emotional risks as they enter puberty in such conditions.

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“Shelters lack clean water, private bathrooms and essential hygiene products like shampoo and soap. Sanitary pads are scarce and expensive, forcing some mothers to improvise. This affects personal hygiene and increases the risk of skin and reproductive health problems, adding to girls’ anxiety and stress,” she said.

“Many mothers and girls were caught off guard by the onset of puberty under war conditions, compounding psychological shock.

“The lack of privacy and inability to conceal bodily changes in crowded shelters heightens pressure and fear, even amid constant shelling and bombardment.”

Farajallah stressed the importance of mothers preparing their daughters.

“Especially under these circumstances, girls need to feel safe, secure and reassured during this vulnerable stage of life.”

A financial burden

Umm Ibrahim, a displaced mother in Gaza City, spoke of her own daughter, who reached puberty in the first month of the war.

“She suffers from severe abdominal pain that can last throughout her period, sometimes for up to two weeks, leaving her extremely weak. There are no doctors or specialists to consult, and sanitary pads are so costly that we can barely afford them,” she said.

“Every month, we live in anxiety from the start of her period until it ends. This is meant to be a stage of growth and celebration for every girl and her family, but here, it is something entirely different.”

'I feel like I'm adding a burden to my family every month because I need sanitary pads that cost so much'

- Maria Sharif, 11

Eleven-year-old Maria Sharif, who had been prepared by her mother for the changes of puberty, said: “Even though my mother explained what would happen and how I should take responsibility for my hijab and prayers, I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. I still feel like a child.”

She noted that fear and trauma from the ongoing war may have accelerated changes, and that most girls her age suffer from malnutrition, weight loss, and a lack of access to milk, vegetables and fruit.

“Since the war began, I have had chicken and fruit only once. How can my body grow under these conditions?” she added.

Maria also described having to improvise with basic alternatives to sanitary pads.

“I feel like I'm adding a burden to my family every month because I need sanitary pads that cost so much. They could use that money to buy basic food instead,” she said.

“As an alternative, my mother sometimes tears up old clothes and gives me pieces to use instead of sanitary pads.”