Hidden in Plain Sight: Identifying and supporting survivors of gender-based violence through hospitals in Gaza

This retrospective cross-sectional study describes gender-based violence among 1,392 women and girls identified as survivors through hospital-based Women Safe Spaces in two hospitals in Gaza between January and May 2026, with 2,929 documented incidents of violence. Psychological violence (47%) and denial of resources and services (33%) were the most common forms, followed by physical (17%) and sexual violence (2%, likely underreported). Husbands (40%) and community members (26%) were the most frequent perpetrators, and women aged 26–45 were more than half of survivors. 83% of incidents occurred more than three months before the survivor was identified. Outpatient clinics and internal medicine were the leading sources of identification, while emergency departments accounted for 6%; 645 women were treated in emergency departments after severe physical violence, and 75 were referred to specialised support. Findings describe service-identified survivors, not prevalence. Contact: [email protected]