Statistics: Youth Make Up 21% of Palestine's Population
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics announced that youth aged 18–29 constitute 21% of Palestine's population, totaling 1.2 million young men and women, with 731,764 in the West Bank and 444,000 in Gaza by the end of 2025. The statement reported over 73,386 martyrs in Gaza as of August 11, 2026, with youth comprising 24% of the martyrs. It also revealed high youth unemployment rates, reaching 85.5% in Gaza and 37.3% in the West Bank during 2025.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, in a statement marking International Youth Day, announced that the number of youth aged 18–29 reached about 1.2 million, constituting 21% of the total population in Palestine, with 22% in the West Bank and 21% in the Gaza Strip. The number of youth in the West Bank reached 731,764, compared to about 444,000 in the Gaza Strip, by the end of 2025. According to population estimates, the number of Palestinians residing in the State of Palestine reached about 5.56 million at the end of last year, with 3.43 million in the West Bank (61.7%) and 2.13 million in the Gaza Strip (38.3%). It indicated that the number of youth in the West Bank is expected to continue rising in the coming decades, from 731,764 in 2025 to over 1.03 million by 2050. It explained that Palestinian youth were among the most affected groups by the ongoing Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023. In the Gaza Strip, over 73,386 citizens were martyred until August 11, 2026, with youth constituting about 24% of all martyrs, including 26% males and 22% females. In the West Bank, the number of martyrs reached 1,183, with 71% under the age of thirty. The repercussions of the aggression extended beyond human losses to forced displacement, loss of homes, disruption of education, and reduced job opportunities, along with increased psychological and social pressures. The results of the labor force survey for the first quarter of 2026 showed that 97.7% of youth aged 18–29 in the West Bank use the internet, and smartphone ownership reached 96.7%. The unemployment rate among youth participating in the labor force (aged 15–29) during 2025 reached about 85.5% in the Gaza Strip, compared to 37.3% in the West Bank. Young women recorded the highest unemployment rates, at 94% in Gaza and 46.5% in the West Bank. Data for 2025 showed that 19 out of every 100 youth aged 18–29 in the West Bank hold a bachelor's degree or higher, with young women excelling in educational attainment. The Israeli aggression cast a heavy shadow on the education sector, as 1,422 students enrolled in higher education institutions in Palestine were martyred from October 7, 2023, to July 7, 2026, including 1,383 in the Gaza Strip and 39 in the West Bank. Additionally, 3,350 students were injured, and more than 492 students from West Bank universities were arrested. It noted a decrease in the proportion of youth (aged 15–29) not in employment, education, or training in the West Bank from 39.4% in 2024 to 37.1% in 2025, with the rate among young women at 44.6% compared to 29.9% among males. It emphasized that investing in youth represents an investment in Palestine's future.