From Entrepreneurship to a Battle for Survival: The Reality of Women Entrepreneurs in Gaza

Occupied Palestinian Territory – Gaza Strip- Before the war, Taghreed Abu Arab was a model of a Palestinian woman entrepreneur who built her future through determination and hard work. She managed two kindergartens, Dunia Al-Marh and Bukra Ahla (Tomorrow Will Be Better), owned a children’s clothing rental shop for special occasions, and ran a small ice cream shop. These businesses were not merely sources of income; they were places that brought joy to children, provided stability for her family, and represented a dream she had built over many years.

The war shattered Taghreed’s dreams and destroyed her income-generating projects. As the assault on Gaza intensified, she lost her businesses and livelihood and was forced to flee with her family multiple times. Her life changed from managing her small enterprises to the daily struggle of searching for water, food, and a safer place for her children.

Taghreed says: “we were displaced to Khan Younis, and there we faced immense hardships. We carried the full burden of life and all its pressures. Life was extremely difficult. The repeated displacement, the fear for our lives, for our children’s future, and for their deteriorating mental health weighed heavily on us. Despite the pain and the loss of loved ones, we still had a small spark of hope that pushed me to continue living”. 

Taghreed’s experience reflects the reality of thousands of women entrepreneurs in Gaza who have not only lost their businesses, but also years of investment, economic independence, and the ability to support their families. For them, a business was not just a job; it was a means of life and dignity.

Describing how she felt after losing everything she had built with her own hands, she says:

“I was deeply affected when I lost my business and my job. I was affected economically and psychologically. Losing my work felt like losing my life. But I do not want despair and hopelessness to take control of me. We must cultivate hope in order to overcome the difficulties we face.”

Losing her work did not mean losing income alone; it also meant losing part of her identity, her sense of independence, and the feeling that the future had become unknown. These impacts are part of the reality created by the war for women in Gaza. The destruction of businesses means loss of income, reduced ability to meet family needs, and growing psychological and social pressures, while women carry increasing responsibilities within displaced families.

Despite all of this, Taghreed refuses to surrender to this painful reality. She continues to hold on to hope and her determination to survive.

“When a person loses their family, their money, and their job, it feels as if life has ended. But my determination to survive is what gave me the support and motivation to keep living and keep challenging this reality.”

Amid these circumstances, Taghreed found a space to restore some of her strength through psychosocial support and economic empowerment provided by Wefaq Association for Women and Child Care. This support helped her restore part of her confidence and belief in her ability to start again.

“I received psychosocial support from Wefaq Association, and that encouraged me to continue working, whether in my previous field or in any other opportunity that allows me to move forward.”

Although a ceasefire was reached in Gaza in October 2025, women continue to face severe conditions and a constant struggle for survival due to ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement. For Taghreed, recovery still feels far out of reach. Women in Gaza today live in a reality where humanitarian crises overlap with economic collapse, making the provision of basic necessities a daily challenge.

“The challenges have been enormous: lack of water and food, limited economic resources, and insufficient aid. These conditions have worsened and have affected me and my family deeply. They have damaged our mental well-being and our lives, but there is always a challenge to start again and continue living.”

What worries Taghreed is not only the loss of her livelihood, but also the future of her children and the children of Gaza, who have paid the highest price with their childhood.

“Our children are the ones who have been destroyed. We lost education. The war is entering its third year, and our children are growing up without schooling. We lost safety, we lost education, and we lost all the basic necessities of life.”

Despite these challenges, many women are trying to rebuild their businesses with very limited means and searching for alternative opportunities that can provide the minimum level of income and dignity for themselves and their families. Taghreed still clings to hope for a better future, not as a passing feeling, but as a means of survival, resilience, and continuity.

“I have never lost hope . Even a tiny spark of hope pushes us to keep striving and moving forward.”

Taghreed’s story is not an isolated case; it reflects the reality of thousands of women entrepreneurs in the Gaza Strip whose businesses have been destroyed by war and whose families have been deprived of their sources of income. Yet they continue striving to rebuild their lives amid unprecedented humanitarian conditions.

Supporting women in Gaza is not simply an act of charity; it is an investment in the resilience of families, the recovery of communities, and the protection of women’s rights to work, dignity, and participation in rebuilding Gaza’s future. Taghreed’s experience demonstrates that women do not need pity; they need real opportunities to restore their businesses, access financing, receive protection, and obtain psychosocial support so they can transform hope into a new beginning.

About ActionAid International  

ActionAid International is a global federation working with over 41 million people living in more than 72 of the world's poorest countries. We envision a world characterized by justice and sustainability, where every individual has the right to a dignified life and freedom, and a world free from poverty and oppression. We strive to achieve social justice, gender equality, and eradicate poverty.  

ActionAid Palestine began its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people, believing in their right to enjoy freedom, justice, and self-determination. ActionAid Palestine implements several programs through its engagement with Palestinian communities and youth and women’s groups, aiming to empower women and youth and enhance their active civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective action to address the rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation, in addition to improving their leadership capacity and practicing their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers accountable. 

For more information, please contact:  

Riham Jafari   

Communication and Advocacy Officer at ActionAid Palestine   

Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org