* Over 390,000 jobs lost and the labor market contracted by more than 80%
* 37,000 economic establishments destroyed, affecting most crafts and productive sectors
* Ministry of Labor priorities include temporary employment, wage support, vocational training, and empowering the most affected groups
* Emphasis on strengthening cooperatives and spreading a cooperative mindset during recovery
RAMALLAH, December 10, 2025 (WAFA) - The Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions in the Gaza Strip reviewed today, Wednesday, the Ministry of Labor’s relief and early recovery plan for the Gaza Strip, during a session dedicated to assessing the unprecedented collapse of the labor market and the ministry’s strategy to address its impacts.
Samah Hamad, Chair of the Operations Room, emphasized the importance of prioritizing relief and early recovery as the foundation for stabilizing Gaza in the coming period. She commended the Ministry of Labor—particularly through the Palestinian Employment Fund—for providing job opportunities via cash-for-work programs that support government institutions, local communities, and the private sector, contributing to the restoration of essential services and investing in human capital as a key driver of recovery.
Minister of Labor Enas Al-Atari explained that the war resulted in a near-total paralysis of the labor market, with over 390,000 workers losing their sources of income and 37,000 establishments suffering total or partial destruction. Unemployment has accordingly risen to 85%. She stressed that revitalizing the labor market is central to economic and social recovery.
The ministry presented a detailed overview of the challenges facing workers, noting that the shutdown of productive and service sectors left daily laborers, craftsmen, and professionals unable to meet their families’ needs, while thousands of trainees and students were unable to continue their vocational and technical programs due to displacement and damage.
The Ministry of Labor outlined a two-phase operational plan:
Phase One: Emergency Relief (0–6 months)
Immediate interventions to protect vulnerable groups and provide urgent income support, including:
• Temporary employment programs
• Wage support for partially operating establishments
• Provision of essential professional tools
• Public employment initiatives in key sectors such as sanitation, water services, and shelter management
Phase Two: Recovery and Revitalization (6–18 months)
• Measures to restore labor market capacity through:
• Advanced vocational training aligned with post-war needs
• Support for small and micro-enterprises
• Assistance in reopening small and medium-sized businesses
• Regulatory steps to reconnect workers with job opportunities inside and outside Gaza
Al-Atari highlighted the central role of cooperatives in the recovery phase, underscoring the importance of fostering sustainable, community-driven cooperative initiatives that create stable jobs and strengthen local resilience.
She also noted the importance of the National Opportunities Matching Platform in providing remote employment opportunities for Gaza residents amid severe movement restrictions. The Operations Room will support and promote this platform to expand beneficiaries and strengthen Gaza’s digital economy.
Al-Atari stressed that revitalizing the labor market requires broad partnerships with international institutions and donors to secure funding for employment and vocational training. She also called for international pressure to allow the entry of equipment, raw materials, and production tools essential for restarting factories and workshops, warning that continued Israeli restrictions will worsen unemployment and delay recovery for years.
T.R.
