Union: 507,000 unemployed and 280,000 workers denied access to their jobs

The General Union of Palestinian Trade Unions announces that the number of unemployed workers has reached 507,000, and that 280,000 workers have been denied access to their jobs inside the 1948 territories since October 2023, amid the ongoing war on Gaza.

The General Union of Palestinian Trade Unions, on the occasion of International Decent Work Day, announced that the number of unemployed workers has reached approximately 507,000 male and female workers. It added that more than 280,000 workers have been denied access to their workplaces inside the 1948 territories since October 7, 2023, amid the ongoing Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip. The union explained that Palestinian workers are living through one of the most difficult economic and social phases, with a sharp decline in job opportunities, a lack of adequate social protection, and mounting debts. The union held the occupation government responsible for the disruption of workers, the destruction of the Palestinian economy, and the rise in unemployment and poverty rates. It called for providing direct financial support to affected workers and worker families, and urged donor countries and international institutions to provide urgent support programs. It stressed the need for international intervention and the International Labor Organization to protect the rights of Palestinian workers.