Lack of hygiene products, suffering of Gazan women according to ActionAid

The international organization Action Aid stated women in the Gaza Strip face additional suffering in light of deplorable humanitarian conditions, due to the inability to shower and lack of healthcare supplies, as reported by the official news agency.

Some displaced women living in Rafah are so desperate they are cutting out small pieces of the tents they rely on for shelter from the cold and rain to use as a substitute for period products, risking infection. The lack of water means keeping clean is near impossible, with women telling us they have gone for weeks without showering, the agency expressed.

Without water, women and girls on their periods are unable to wash themselves and stay clean. This, combined with a lack of soap, and with many women forced to use period products or substitutes for longer than is safe, poses a risk to their health. Only one of the three water pipelines from Israel to Gaza is currently functioning, according to UNOCHA. People are only accessing an average of 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day – which is below the 3 litres needed for their basic survival, and well below the minimum 15 litres required per person each day to cover all water and sanitation-related needs, including washing, adds the same source.