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Gaza Crisis: Child Marriages Soar Amid Hunger, Rape Survivors Forced to Marry Accused
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Moneycontrol•24-09-2026, 15:17
Gaza Crisis: Child Marriages Soar Amid Hunger, Rape Survivors Forced to Marry Accused
- •A UN report reveals a 123% surge in forced and child marriages in Gaza during Q2 2026, reversing a pre-conflict decline.
- •Families are marrying off young girls, some as young as 12, in exchange for basic necessities like flour due to severe hunger and poverty.
- •Orphaned girls are particularly vulnerable, with uncles marrying them off to avoid responsibility and expenses.
- •Rape survivors are reportedly being pressured into marrying their alleged attackers to avoid social stigma.
- •The crisis is exacerbated by mass displacement, food shortages, unemployment, and the breakdown of social support systems, leading to increased sexual violence.
Key Questions Answered
A UN Population Fund analysis revealed a 123 per cent rise in early and forced marriage cases during the second quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter, driven by severe hunger, displacement, and the collapse of social support systems.
Testimonies collected by the UNFPA describe cases where families facing extreme shortages and famine have resorted to marrying off young girls in exchange for basic supplies like flour, or to shed financial responsibility after parents were killed.
The UNFPA analysis recorded a 61 per cent increase in reported sexual violence cases between April and June 2026, with some rape survivors allegedly pressured into marrying their accused attackers to avoid social stigma.
