Menstruation doesn’t stop during airstrikes, displacement or siege. These are the testimonies of four girls in Gaza, collected by journalist Maria Rashed in November 2025, sharing what it means to menstruate during ongoing crisis and siege. After sustained bombardment and severe restrictions on humanitarian access, systems that once supported daily life in Gaza have collapsed.
Over 70% of housing and essential water-sanitation systems have been damaged, leaving many families in overcrowded shelters with little privacy or clean water. But menstruation did not pause during siege or airstrikes—it became an added daily struggle. Pads disappeared or became unaffordable, clean water and privacy vanished, and painkillers ran out.
“Menstruation during prolonged crisis and humanitarian collapse is not simply about ‘no pads’ — it is about survival,” says Maria Rashed. “What used to be a basic monthly routine turned into a cycle of pain, shame, infection, hunger and fear.” “Menstrual health is a human right. No girl should have to choose between food and pads. No girl should be humiliated for her cycle. No girl should have to bleed in a tent with no clean water.”
This crisis is rooted in the broader man-made humanitarian emergency unfolding in Gaza, which has turned everyday needs like menstrual care into urgent issues of health, dignity, and survival.
Take Action ‼️
👉 Read the full testimonies at the link in bio @feminist
👉 Follow and support @mariarashed1
👉 Support organizations responding on the ground in Gaza: Anera @CAREorg@medicalaidpal@UNFPA
👉 Take action for Gaza and learn more: feminists.co/take-action-free-palestine
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✨‘Stars of Science’, Qatar Foundation’s flagship science and tech TV show which celebrates innovation, is coming soon with a fresh new look and brand-new lineup of superstar experts.
📌Application deadline June 26, 2026.
Israel’s US-backed genocide in Gaza has killed over 38,000 women and girls, according to a recent report by UN Women. The UN revealed that at least 22,000 women and 16,000 were killed between October 2023 and December 2025, an average of 47 women and girls a day.
Experts warn that death toll estimates are likely grave underestimates, as the “collapse of health and reporting systems” has impacted the ability to accurately document the devastation. Since the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, Israeli Occupation Forces have killed at least 730 Palestinians.
The report also notes that an estimated 11,000 women and girls with lifelong injuries, and over one million women and girls have been displaced in Gaza. UN Women continues to demand compliance with international humanitarian law.
“A feminist response asks us to see not only the numbers of those killed but the realities faced by those left behind. Solidarity means demanding a future with dignity and self determination,” — Palestinian journalist and period activist Maria Rashed (@mariarashed1 ), speaking to @FEMINIST .
🎞️ UN Women
Take Action:
👉 Follow and support organizations working directly with impacted women and children: @heal.palestine , @actionaid_international
Help provide food, medical care, and shelter to families in Gaza: linktr.ee/fundsforgaza @fundsforgaza , led by @letstalkpalestine
👉 Donate to aid organizations in Gaza: @thesameerproject , @gazasoupkitchen , @amal_for_palestine , @thepcrf , @waterislifegaza
👉 Support Liberation Campaigns to end government complicity:
@PalestinianYouthMovement , @PalestineSolidarityUK
👉 Demand media coverage from major news outlets: writersagainstthewarongaza.com/action @wawog_now
👉 Boycott businesses that are complicit in the genocide: bdsmovement.net
@bds.movement
