On May Day, Gaza’s workers find whatever source of income they can
On International Workers' Day 2026, workers in Gaza face extreme hardship amid an economic collapse caused by over two years of war, with unemployment reaching 80 percent and many forced into dangerous, low-paying jobs. Laborers like Ibrahim Abu al-Eish and Yousef al-Rifi work in unsafe conditions to support their families, earning barely enough to survive. The Gaza Ministry of Labour warns that without the lifting of Israel's blockade and the reopening of crossings, recovery remains unlikely.
- ▪Unemployment in Gaza has reached 80 percent, with over 250,000 workers losing their jobs since the war began in October 2023.
- ▪Ibrahim Abu al-Eish, a 24-year-old accounting graduate, earns about 80 shekels ($27) a day clearing rubble for a local contracting company.
- ▪Poverty in Gaza exceeds 93 percent, and more than 75 percent of the population faces acute food insecurity.
- ▪Workers in Gaza often labor in unsafe environments with no protective measures due to the destruction of infrastructure and lack of regulation.
- ▪The Gaza Ministry of Labour attributes the economic crisis to Israel’s blockade, destruction of productive sectors, and restrictions on humanitarian aid.
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Features|Israel-Palestine conflictOn May Day, Gaza’s workers find whatever source of income they canGaza's economic collapse leaves workers in perilous jobs, with unemployment soaring amid ongoing devastation.ListenListen (5 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoConditions in Gaza have created an extremely difficult work environment for workers in Gaza like Ibrahim Abu al-Eish, who has a dangerous job clearing rubble [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]By Maram HumaidPublished On 1 May 20261 May 2026Gaza City, Gaza Strip – On top of the rubble of a destroyed building, Ibrahim Abu al-Eish is busy clearing stones and collapsed roofing to prepare the way for a bulldozer that will remove what remains of the…
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