Shafaq News- Gaza

Farah Abduljabbar never imagined that months after her wedding, her modern washing machine would vanish from her life, replaced by plastic buckets and cold water inside a displacement tent. Before the war, laundry was a routine task —quick, electric, and unremarkable. Today, it is a draining chore that consumes time, strength, and scarce resources.

The war’s destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure has pushed thousands of families into makeshift camps where electricity is sporadic and running water is unreliable or absent altogether. In this environment, women shoulder the heaviest burden of household survival, from cooking over firewood and baking by hand to washing clothes without machines.

Farah says electricity is largely nonexistent inside the camps. Those who own solar panels tend to reserve them for income-generating uses, such as selling cold water or charging mobile phones. “Water itself is a daily struggle,” she told Shafaq News. “My husband can barely secure enough for drinking. When we use some for laundry, it feels like we’re taking it away from essential needs.”

The hardship is compounded by the rising cost and scarcity of detergents. Some women resort to hand soap; others wash with water alone, leaving clothes inadequately cleaned. Even simple items like clothespins have become costly, adding another layer to an already difficult task.

Water before Cleanliness

Obtaining water in the camps often means waiting hours for tanker trucks or hauling jerrycans over long distances, sometimes on animal-drawn carts, sometimes carried by children. With strict daily limits, laundry becomes a painful choice between hygiene and hydration.

For Arwa Abu Hashem, washing by hand is physically exhausting. Small buckets must be filled repeatedly and lifted again and again. “It drains the body,” she said. Hours spent bent over have left her with persistent back and joint pain. The work repeats several times a week, without any tools to ease the strain.

Drying clothes presents another dilemma. Crowded camps force many families to hang wet laundry inside their tents, where it remains damp for long periods. Hanging clothes outside raises privacy concerns, particularly in densely populated open areas. Either option carries discomfort and health risks

Read more: Sewage turns displaced Gazans’ lives into a fight for survival

Improvised Solutions

As the burden grows, makeshift solutions have emerged. Yassin Abu Odeh launched a small laundry project using automatic washing machines powered by solar energy, in partnership with others in the camp. The biggest challenge, he said, is water. “We buy it at high cost, and customers bring their own detergent,” he explained. To reduce consumption, he modified how water enters the machines.

Maintenance is another obstacle. Spare parts are unavailable, and many of the machines were salvaged from destroyed homes. Still, the project offers a rare reprieve for families and a fragile source of income for those running it.

In Al-Zahraa camp in Khan Younis, two young men, Mohammed and Ali, operate a semi-automatic washing machine using electricity purchased from a neighbor with solar panels. They charge a small fee per load. “This is our only livelihood,” they said, describing the project as an emergency alternative in the absence of work opportunities.

The Elderly Left Behind

At one washing point, an elderly woman arrives carrying a small bag of clothes. She lost her two daughters in the war, while her son was injured. Nowadays, she lacks the physical strength to wash by hand and can barely secure drinking water. Her neighbors occasionally help with small amounts for laundry.

A Quiet Health Crisis

Inside clinics at the Al-Awda Community Health Center, health educator Ghada Aziz said the impact goes beyond fatigue. “What we are seeing is continuous physical and psychological pressure on women due to hand washing under these conditions,” she told Shafaq News. A large proportion of female patients complain of lower back pain and joint inflammation caused by prolonged bending and wringing out heavy clothes. Clinics are also documenting tendon injuries in the hands from repetitive strain.

Water scarcity, she warned, poses a direct health threat. Most of Gaza’s population now lacks access to safe water, as water services have fallen to critically low levels. This forces families to use unsuitable water or reduce washing frequency, contributing to rising cases of eczema, contagious skin infections, and fungal diseases linked to damp clothing in enclosed spaces.

“Treatment alone is not enough,” Aziz said, explaining that “the problem is environmental. What’s needed is safe water and organized washing points that reduce the burden and protect health.”

In Gaza’s tents, laundry is no longer a simple domestic chore. It has become a daily struggle tied to dignity, health, and survival. Behind every clean garment are hours of silent effort, small acts of endurance in a reality where even the most basic routines have become tests of resilience.

Read more: Against the cold: Gaza's displaced face humanitarian peril in winter 2025