Child marriages in Gaza more than double amid deepening humanitarian crisis, UN warns

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has issued a stark warning that child marriages in the Gaza Strip have more than doubled over the past six months, exposing young girls to severe physical and psychological risks.

Nestor Owomuhangi, the UNFPA Representative, stated that the proportion of child marriages has increased by 123%. He noted that while the practice was already prevalent before the war, the current trajectory shows it is "spiking much faster" from an already high baseline.

The surge is attributed to the dire humanitarian conditions. Families struggling with limited livelihoods and economic resources are encouraging young girls to marry to reduce the number of mouths to feed. Overcrowded shelters also play a role, with parents in tents housing large families sometimes pushing daughters to leave.

The UN agency's upcoming report also highlights a 60% spike in gender-based violence cases in the first half of 2026 compared to the close of 2025. Psychological torture remains persistently high, with couples who once worked now confined to cramped tents, taking a heavy psychological toll.

Most forced early marriages involve girls aged 14 to 17, but 3% are below 14. Owomuhangi expressed deep concern about the consequences, stating, "Our biggest concern is that we have a generation of mothers that we couldn't help to grow into proper motherhood and that their infants may possibly not survive."

Prior to the conflict, child marriage rates had been slowly declining, with 17.8% of marriages involving girls under 18 in 2022, down from over 22% in 2015. That trend has now reversed.

With around 50,000 pregnant women and up to 180 births daily, the conflict has shuttered or damaged hospitals, and border closures restrict essential supplies like ultrasound machines, making it difficult for women to receive proper care.