COVID-19 and Israeli annexation pose new challenges to civil society and community participation in occupied Palestinian territories, writes Dr Ibrahim Natil in Independent Australia.
PALESTINIAN civil society and women, in particular, have been living in harsh, severe circumstances owing to political shifts and economic circumstances. The threat of Israeli occupation, annexing up to 30% of the West Bank has already increased pressure on the Palestinian people.
Violence against women in Palestinian territories is a serious issue, due to the long history of conflict in Palestine and Israel, and the socio-economic circumstances that have existed since Israeli occupation in 1967. Gendered discrimination and violence are heightened in contexts of fragility, conflict, displacement and emergency.
Palestinian women in Gaza suffer from high level of violence, poverty, lack of opportunities and despair. They are subject to psychological abuse, cursing, insults, and yelling.
The second most prevalent form of abuse against women since the last Israeli military operation during the summer of 2014 was economic devastation.
These circumstances have been getting worse since the beginning of this year, as eleven women were killed. On April 20, 2020, Al Jazeera reported that at least five women have been killed at the hands of their abusers since the coronavirus lockdown. The violence against women has increased in Gaza during quarantine and lockdown, as COVID-19 risks exacerbating women’s vulnerabilities and gender inequalities in Palestine.
Even before COVID-19, however, the rates of violence against women was high in Gaza.