The International Labor Organization says the economic impact of the conflict will reverberate for “many years to come.”
Gaza has lost at least 61 percent of its jobs since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, the United Nations employment agency said, warning that the economic fallout will reverberate for “many years to come.” “.
Estimated job losses in the Palestinian territory are equivalent to 182,000 jobs, the International Labor Organization said Monday in an assessment of the economic impact of the conflict.
“Our first assessment of the impact of the current tragic crisis on the Palestinian labor market has yielded extremely worrying results, which will only get worse if the conflict continues,” said Ruba Jaradat, ILO regional director for Arab States.
“The ongoing hostilities not only represent an enormous humanitarian crisis in terms of loss of life and basic human needs, they also represent a social and economic crisis that has caused significant damage to jobs and businesses, with repercussions which will be felt for many years. come.”
The occupied West Bank also lost about 24 percent of its jobs, or the equivalent of 208,000 jobs, due to the fallout from the war, the ILO said.
Together, the job losses in the two Palestinian territories translate into daily income losses estimated at $16 million, according to the UN agency.
Jaradat said Gaza residents must have “full, rapid, safe and unhindered” access to humanitarian aid.
“We are working tirelessly with governments, workers and employers, other UN agencies and humanitarian actors to provide immediate assistance to affected workers and businesses,” she said.
“We will also support them in the longer term in gathering vital labor market information and restoring jobs and businesses, combined with social protection initiatives, to the full extent of our mandate. »
Gaza, subject to an Israeli blockade since 2005, was suffering serious economic difficulties even before the start of the latest conflict.
Unemployment in the territory stood at 46.4 percent in the second quarter of 2023, one of the highest rates in the world.
More than 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the UN.
Shortages of food, water and medical supplies have worsened since Israel tightened its blockade and began shelling the enclave after Hamas attacks on Israeli communities on October 7, which authorities say killed at least 1,405 people, most of them civilians.
Since then, at least 10,022 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli bombardments, according to officials in the Hamas-ruled enclave.