Arabic version: عمال غزة يكافحون من أجل البقاء في يوم العمال العالمي
On International Workers’ Day, workers in Gaza confront dire employment conditions, with many resorting to hazardous jobs to support their families. Ibrahim Abu al-Eish, a 24-year-old laborer, spends his days clearing rubble from buildings destroyed during ongoing conflicts. Employed by a local contracting company, he earns about 80 shekels ($27) daily, a sum that barely meets the basic needs of his family of nine living in a displacement camp.
According to Al Jazeera, the economic crisis in Gaza has soared since the war began in October 2023, with unemployment reaching a staggering 80 percent. Over 250,000 workers have lost their jobs, and poverty rates have now exceeded 93 percent, with many facing acute food insecurity.
The situation has forced many, like Yousef al-Rifi, to adapt in desperate ways. Once a bakery owner, Yousef now works at a temporary bakery for just 50 shekels ($17) a day. He describes the work as inconsistent, with days when the bakery cannot operate due to fluctuating prices of flour and bread. His earnings are insufficient to cover his family’s expenses, leading him to sell personal belongings to provide food.
The Gaza Ministry of Labour warns that without lifting the blockade and reopening crossings, the economic stagnation will deepen, further eroding the chances of recovery. As the war continues, the harsh reality for workers in Gaza remains a struggle for survival, with little hope for improvement in their conditions.
