The poverty rate across the Palestinian territories is projected to nearly double to 74.3% this year due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to a report released by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday.
“The immediate impact of the war, not only through the destruction of physical infrastructure but also in terms of poverty and livelihoods, is staggering,” said Achim Steiner, head of the UNDP, in an interview with AFP.
At the end of 2023, the poverty rate stood at 38.8%, but the conflict has driven an additional 2.61 million Palestinians into poverty, raising the total to 4.1 million. “This socio-economic assessment shows that the extent of the damage has set back Palestine’s development by years, if not decades,” Steiner added.
The report also predicts unemployment could rise to 49.9% this year, with the GDP expected to be 35.1% lower than it would have been without the conflict. Even with annual humanitarian aid, Steiner warned that it may take over a decade for the Palestinian economy to recover to pre-crisis levels. Recovery efforts will require not only reconstruction but also the removal of “stifling economic conditions.”
The destruction in Gaza has resulted in 42 million tonnes of rubble, posing significant health risks. Damage to solar panels is especially concerning due to the release of hazardous materials like lead and other heavy metals.
The conflict erupted following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliatory bombings and ground operations in Gaza have since resulted in 42,603 deaths, the majority civilians, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The UN has deemed these figures credible.