Palestinian women central to life in Gaza, says French volunteer

By Esra Taskın and Ilayda Cakirtekin

PARIS/ISTANBUL (AA) – Palestinian women are placed at the center of life, according to Imane Maarifi, a French nurse of Moroccan descent who spoke to Anadolu about her volunteer work in Gaza.

“Palestinians have a deep respect for women. Women are really at the center of life, and you can immediately tell that they have been raised in this respect,” Maarifi said.

She described an unexpected sense of equality, noting that she mostly ate meals prepared by men, with women prioritized in serving, and the men being served afterward, if any food was left.

“I imagined, perhaps, a country with a more dominant patriarchy, but to my great surprise, that wasn’t the case,” she said.

Maarifi also observed that female workers were provided a room with a bathroom, while their male colleagues were assigned to a bare room.

“This was my first time in Palestine, and as a humanitarian worker, I was already received with great respect,” she added.

Maarifi highlighted that women in Gaza struggle to access basic materials, such as sanitary pads, while mothers always prioritize their children in all circumstances.

“What I saw among women there were mothers who couldn’t bathe every day because they preferred to use the water to bathe their children,” she said.

She also pointed to the “dire” food situation in Gaza, where constant rice consumption has led to severe digestive problems.

Maarifi noted that when mothers had access to fiber-based foods and dietary aids, they prioritized giving them to their children first.

“Of course, a mother always has that instinct, but in Gaza, under genocide, it becomes even stronger. They completely lose their sense of personal priorities — their only priority is their children,” she added.

She further emphasized that women are celebrated every day in Gaza.

“In Gaza, March 8 happens every day. Women are truly honored every single day. Maybe in the West, we should learn from them,” Maarifi concluded.