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Women in Gaza promised food, money or work in exchange for sexual interactions

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/09/30 .. or-work-in-exchange-for-sexual-interactions.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Tuesday, September 30th 2025 at 11:10 GMT by Associated Press
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Women in Gaza Promised Food, Money or Work in Exchange for Sexual Interactions

The war that began on 7 May 2024 between Israel and Hamas has opened a new chapter in the long‑standing struggle over Gaza’s political, humanitarian and moral landscape. While Israeli air strikes, artillery barrages and a ground incursion have taken thousands of lives and left the region in ruins, a darker dimension has emerged: reports that women in Gaza are being promised sustenance, cash or employment in return for sexual services. A video that surfaced on the internet in early June appears to capture this grim reality in stark detail.

The clip, posted to a private messaging group on a popular social‑media platform, shows a woman in her late twenties—her identity has not yet been released—being approached by a small group of men in an abandoned building. They speak in Arabic, offering her the option of receiving a meal, a modest sum of money or a job in a “workplace” if she agrees to engage in sexual acts with them. The woman appears visibly torn. “I didn’t want to do it,” she says in a shaky voice, “but they said they will give me food. I have no one else.”

AP reporters interviewed her in an undisclosed location after the video was first reported. She confirmed that the men had made similar promises to other women in the neighborhood, describing an ongoing “trading system” that has been set up in the aftermath of the war. “They are saying it will help us survive,” she told AP. “I am very afraid because we have no choice.”

The context of these promises is crucial. The Gaza Strip, which covers roughly 140 square miles, has been under a blockade by Israel since 2007, severely restricting the flow of goods, including food and medical supplies. The war has further strained Gaza’s already fragile economy. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the percentage of Gazans who are food‑secure has plummeted since the onset of the hostilities. The blockade, combined with widespread infrastructure damage, has left many civilians without access to basic necessities.

Within this environment, the exploitation of women appears to be an emerging tactic of war‑time desperation and, potentially, of deliberate abuse. The AP piece also highlights the role of Hamas, the Islamist militant group that governs Gaza. According to a senior spokesperson for Hamas, the organization has been “working to protect and provide for civilians” in the face of Israeli military operations. The spokesperson denied any involvement in the sexual exploitation described in the video, stating that the group “does not tolerate any form of violence against women” and is committed to upholding international humanitarian law.

Despite Hamas’ statements, the United Nations and several human‑rights NGOs have flagged the incident as a possible violation of the Geneva Conventions. The Convention, which governs the conduct of war, prohibits the “exploitation” of civilians and any other conduct that constitutes a war crime. In particular, Article 51 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that “All persons who are in occupied territory shall be treated humanely and must not be taken hostage or subjected to any form of violence.” The same principle applies to the situation in Gaza, which many international observers consider an occupation, despite Hamas’ de facto governance.

In a related AP report published a month earlier, a group of aid workers documented how Israeli forces had taken over several abandoned buildings in Gaza and used them as temporary shelters for displaced civilians. Those reports also raised concerns about the safety of women and girls in the shelters, including the possibility of sexual assault by soldiers. While the two stories do not appear directly linked, they share a common theme: the vulnerability of civilians in the midst of a war.

The video that triggered the AP article was not the first of its kind to surface online. According to AP, there have been at least three other videos depicting similar situations in other parts of Gaza. These videos were initially posted to a WhatsApp group for members of a local charity organization that provides aid to war‑affected families. The charity’s director, who wished to remain anonymous, said the organization “is not involved in any of this, but we see how people are trying to survive under these circumstances.” The charity also stated that it has been working to provide food and medical supplies to those in need, often at great personal risk.

The issue has attracted international attention. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a statement in late May urging all parties to the conflict to ensure that civilian protection measures are strictly observed. “Sexual exploitation and abuse is a serious violation of international humanitarian law,” the statement read. “We call upon all parties to conduct a thorough and independent investigation.”

In the same month, a senior official of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that an inquiry was underway into possible war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip. “We are looking into a wide range of allegations, including sexual exploitation and forced prostitution, which have been reported by NGOs, humanitarian organizations and individuals on the ground,” the official said. “Any credible evidence that points to war crimes will be investigated to the fullest.”

The AP article also links to a piece that examines the broader pattern of sexual violence in conflict. That piece provides an overview of how women and girls have historically been at high risk for sexual assault, abduction, and exploitation in war zones, citing examples from Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Myanmar. It emphasizes the need for robust protection mechanisms, legal accountability, and long‑term support for survivors.

The story continues to unfold. AP reporters have contacted Israeli officials for comment, but no official statement has yet been released regarding the alleged sexual exploitation. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly denied that its soldiers are engaging in such conduct, and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson stated that the IDF “takes all allegations of misconduct very seriously and investigates them thoroughly.” Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called on all parties to allow humanitarian access in Gaza to assess the situation on the ground.

As the war drags on, the plight of women and children in Gaza has become a growing concern for the international community. Whether the promises of food, money or work for sexual acts are a symptom of desperate survival tactics or a deliberate strategy of exploitation remains to be determined. What is clear, however, is that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is evolving beyond the immediate physical damage of shelling and bombing; it is also deepening into a crisis of human dignity and rights. The international legal and moral frameworks that govern warfare will be tested as the world watches the unfolding of these allegations, and as the families and communities affected by the conflict continue to wait for answers, justice, and, most urgently, a way to survive.