Devastating Impact: ILO Report Reveals Drastic Job Losses in Gaza Strip
Beirut (ILO News) – According to a recent report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Gaza Strip has witnessed a significant loss of employment due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Approximately 61% of jobs, totalling 182,000, have been affected. This conflict’s repercussions have also spilled over into the West Bank, where around 24% of employment, equivalent to 208,000 jobs, has been lost during the same period.
The combined job losses in these areas of the Occupied Palestinian Territory amount to an estimated 390,000, resulting in a daily income loss of USD $16 million. These figures may rise if military operations in Gaza escalate and the humanitarian crisis persists.
The ILO’s initial assessment of the impact of the conflict on the Palestinian labour market reveals alarming results. The crisis in Gaza has far-reaching consequences on employment and livelihoods across the entire Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States, expressed deep concern over the situation. She emphasized that the ongoing hostilities not only constitute a humanitarian crisis in terms of loss of lives and basic needs but also present a social and economic crisis, causing significant damage to jobs and businesses.
Jaradat reiterated the ILO Governing Body’s call for swift and unimpeded humanitarian access in accordance with international law, to ensure the delivery of aid to civilians in Gaza.
Efforts are underway to provide immediate assistance to affected workers and businesses. The ILO has allocated around $1.1 million US dollars for emergency relief interventions and data collection, with plans to allocate more resources for further implementation.
In addition to relief efforts, the ILO has devised a three-phase response program. This includes data collection and impact analysis to inform interventions, as well as focusing on job creation and social protection measures in the recovery phase.
A meeting for development partners will be held during the 349th Session of the ILO Governing Body to launch an appeal for $20 million US dollars to fund the entire response plan.
The bulletin, prepared in collaboration with the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), is based on data primarily sourced from the PCBS Labour Force Survey. The ILO and PCBS have established a Labour Market Observatory to monitor Palestinian labour market indicators and issue regular updates.
Tags: work, employment, employment security, workers, working conditions, business, entrepreneurship, armed conflict, data collecting
Regions and countries covered: Arab States, Palestinian Territory, Occupied
