Gaza has experienced a sharp rise in child marriages as families facing displacement and deepening poverty increasingly view marrying off underage daughters as a financial survival strategy, according to findings published in early March by the United Nations Population Fund. The ongoing two-year war has devastated social, legal, health, and protection systems, reversing years of progress that had reduced child marriage rates over the past decade.

Although reliable data is difficult to obtain due to the collapse of institutions, nearly 10 percent of newly registered pregnancies in December 2025 involved adolescents. In a recent monitoring period, more than 400 marriage licences were issued for girls aged 14 to 16 in emergency courts, and 71 percent of surveyed girls reported increased pressure to marry.

The rise in child marriage has been accompanied by higher reports of coercion, gender-based violence, psychological trauma, and abuse. Many underage unions go unregistered until a girl reaches legal age or becomes pregnant, leaving them without legal protections. Accounts from girls describe severe physical harm, repeated miscarriages, and emotional distress, with evidence suggesting that a majority of girls married young experience physical, psychological, or sexual violence.