Between Care and Catastrophe: The Dual Burden of Female Social Workers in Gaza During Genocide

This study examines the lived experiences of female social workers in the Gaza Strip during the genocide, focusing on the intersection of personal vulnerability and professional responsibility. Drawing on in-depth interviews with thirty internally displaced social workers in Rafah, the research employs thematic content analysis to uncover the psychological, emotional, and institutional challenges faced by practitioners. The study is situated within the broader context of humanitarian crises in Palestine, where social workers have historically operated under conditions of political instability and resource scarcity. The findings reveal four central themes: the blurring of boundaries between victimhood and caregiving, the impact of gendered expectations and self-sacrifice, the effects of institutional neglect and the invisibility of female labor, and the role of coping strategies and peer solidarity. These themes collectively define what we term “total immersion trauma”, a condition where the distinction between professional caregiver and victim dissolves because both face the same systematic erasure. Female social workers are situated as both helpers and survivors, carrying dual burdens that are intensified by chronic insecurity, social mandates, and systemic under-resourcing. The study highlights the insufficiency of informal peer support in the absence of organizational care, underscoring the urgent need for formal interventions to support the well-being of Gaza's social work community during the genocide. Furthermore, the findings point to the necessity of addressing the structural conditions that perpetuate this crisis, as psychological support alone cannot resolve the fundamental issues created by the ongoing violence and occupation.