Courage in Crisis: How Palestinian women are building peace amid war

Lama Alshurafa, left Palestine at the age of 23, seeking refuge in Egypt amid the escalating crisis in Gaza. She currently works as a Project Coordinator at the Dr. Haider Abdel Shafi Center for Culture and Development, where she focuses on empowering women and youth, promoting mental health, and supporting community resilience. In this interview, Lama shares a glimpse into the reality of Palestinian women and the critical role they play in building a peaceful future in Gaza and beyond. For Lama, hope lies in the strength of her community and the unwavering belief that a better future for Palestine is possible.

What is the current reality for women peacebuilders in Palestine?

Being a Palestinian woman today means carrying the weight of survival on our shoulders. We are not just peacebuilders—we are providers, caretakers, and the backbone of our families. In Gaza, women wake up every day facing the impossible task of keeping their families fed, their children safe, and their homes intact, if they even have a home left. War has forced us into roles we never expected, making us breadwinners, counsellors, and protectors all at once.

But even in this reality, we refuse to be just victims of war. Women are finding ways to work, to rebuild, and to give their children a sense of normalcy. Some of us run small businesses, others volunteer in shelters, and many offer psychological support to those around us, all while battling our own exhaustion and grief. For example, at the Dr. Haider Abdel Shafi Center for Culture and Development, women lead support groups where they create safe spaces for others to share their experiences and cope with trauma. Through structured workshops, storytelling sessions, and informal gatherings, they provide comfort and practical advice to help families, especially children, manage their fears. Being a woman in Palestine is about endurance, hope, and a steady belief that we deserve a better future.

What are Palestinian women peacebuilders currently doing to work towards a peaceful future, both in Gaza and beyond?

Women in Palestine don’t have the luxury to sit and wait for peace negotiations to change our reality. We are working every day to keep life going despite the destruction. In Gaza, women organise food drives, run community shelters, and find ways to provide for their families when everything around us is collapsing. Mothers are turning into teachers, making sure their children continue to learn, even in displacement.

Beyond Gaza, Palestinian women are using their voices to tell our stories, demanding that the world doesn’t look away. We speak in international forums, document human rights violations, and connect with global networks to ensure our struggle is heard and understood. 

Our fight for peace is not just about stopping the bombs, it is about securing justice, dignity, and a future where our children don’t grow up under occupation and war.

What urgent steps are needed to build lasting peace in Palestine, and how can women peacebuilders contribute to those efforts?

Peace in Palestine cannot be built on shattered homes and broken promises. The first and most urgent step is an end to the war, the blockade, and the policies that keep Palestinians trapped in a cycle of suffering. The world must recognise that there can be no peace while Palestinians are denied their basic rights, our right to live in freedom, to return to our lands, and to build our future without fear.

Women are already leading the way, even when they are left out of political spaces. We are raising generations that believe in justice, not just survival. We are teaching our children that they deserve more than war and that they have the right to dream of a future beyond destruction. Women must be part of decision-making processes, not as an afterthought, but as the leaders we already are. Real peace can only happen when Palestinian voices, especially those of women, are heard and acted upon.