What the War on Gaza Tells Us About Western Feminism

In November 2023, the French feminist organization La Parole Des Femmes initiated a discussion labeling the October 7th attacks by Hamas as “feminicide.” This claim, spotlighting the gendered violence allegedly inflicted on Israeli women, remains controversial due to the lack of concrete evidence supporting the allegations of sexual abuse. Meanwhile, the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza starkly reveals a broader gendered crisis, underscoring the limitations and biases within Western feminism.

The Gendered Crisis in Gaza

By late November 2023, UN Women reported that two-thirds of Gaza’s 14,000 casualties were women and children. With hospitals and essential medical infrastructure destroyed, reproductive rights have faced devastating setbacks, including a 300% increase in miscarriages. Women endure childbirth without anesthesia, while maternal malnutrition leads to a severe shortage of breast milk for infants.

Palestinian women also face systemic abuses beyond the humanitarian crisis. Accounts of sexual violence, torture, and inhumane treatment of female prisoners amplify the horrors. Many women are detained without due process, subjected to beatings, deprivation of basic necessities, and other forms of degradation. Arbitrary executions and targeted killings further exacerbate their plight, with social media flooded with evidence of these atrocities.

Western Feminism’s Cognitive Dissonance

Despite the stark gendered violence in Gaza, Western feminism has largely remained silent or selective in its advocacy. This absence highlights the movement’s Eurocentric framework, which often excludes women of color and women from the Global South.

Palestinian women defy Western feminism’s expectations by rejecting its narrowly defined ideals of liberation. They prioritize anti-colonial struggles over issues like equal pay, challenge the perception of the hijab as oppressive, and embrace large families as a form of resistance. This divergence disrupts the dominant narrative, leaving their struggles sidelined by mainstream feminists.

Moreover, the instrumentalization of feminism to justify military interventions in the Global South creates a legacy of distrust. This dissonance alienates women of color and reinforces skepticism toward Western feminist solidarity.

The crisis in Gaza presents a crucial opportunity for Western feminists to redefine their movement. True solidarity requires challenging the patriarchal and imperialist structures that perpetuate global injustices. This includes scrutinizing the military-industrial complex and its role in enabling violence against Palestinian women.

With pivotal elections approaching in the EU and US, Western feminists must build meaningful alliances with women of color and the Global South. This involves acknowledging their grievances, understanding their distinct struggles, and addressing the historical appropriation of feminism to legitimize oppression.

Gaza’s tragedy calls for introspection and action—an invitation for Western feminism to broaden its scope, deepen its critique, and stand in genuine solidarity with women worldwide.