In light of the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip, recent events have caused many Palestinian families to be uprooted, leading to new social challenges. Among these challenges is the marriage of some men to other wives during the displacement of their wives to the south of the strip.

Yasmin (a pseudonym), a 32-year-old woman, shares her painful experience. After being displaced with her four children to southern Gaza Valley in October 2023, she received news seven months later that her husband had married another woman. Yasmin says: “I did not leave him voluntarily… I preserved his children and family name for 15 months of separation.”

Fidaa (35 years old) lives a similar story. She was displaced with her children to the south due to the deteriorating situation in the north, while her husband remained there. She says: “I learned of his marriage when I returned to the north… I felt a severe pain in my chest.”

On the other hand, some men justify this behavior by the difficult circumstances. Ismail (44 years old) explains that he remarried to provide care for his children after his wife displaced with her family without consulting him. He says: “I never imagined I could marry while my wife was alive, but I did.”

Social and psychological specialist Nibal Hallis points out that these cases are individual and not a widespread phenomenon, and they relate to the culture of society and the accumulated ideas about marriage and relationship with a partner.

Under these circumstances, the Palestinian community faces new social challenges that require understanding and support to overcome the psychological and social effects resulting from the conflict and displacement.

It is noted that the Nitsareem corridor, which separates northern Gaza from its southern part, played a pivotal role in complicating the movement of the displaced and increasing their suffering during the conflict. This barrier, established by the Israeli occupation, has led to the division of the strip and the difficulty of movement for the population between the north and south, deepening the humanitarian and social crises in the region.

With the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the Nitsareem corridor, tens of thousands of displaced people flowed through the two main roads in an attempt to return to their homes in the north, leading to severe congestion and the ongoing suffering of Palestinian families hoping to restore their normal lives after a long period of displacement and dispersion.

These events highlight the complex challenges facing the Palestinian community in Gaza, where humanitarian crises intertwine with social complexities, requiring intensive efforts from all parties involved to provide support and assistance to the affected families.