UN: Prior to war, Israel siege of Gaza left 80% of Palestinians dependent on aid

The suffocating siege imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip since 2006 has left 80 per cent of the 2.3 million population dependent on international aid, the UN said.

In its report on the economic development of the Occupied Palestinian Territory for 2022, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said: “The result of the [Israeli] restrictions and closures and military operations has been the suppression of investment and productive activities and the collapse of the economy of Gaza, as well as its separation from the world and the rest of the Palestinian economy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.”

The report pointed to the loss of land and natural resources to Israeli settlements, endemic poverty, a shrinking fiscal space, declining foreign aid and the build-up of public and private debt as some of the main factors affecting the Gaza economy.

According to the report, an individual who lived in 2022 in Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, was forced to remain half the time without electricity, without clean water, or without access to a suitable sewage system.

In its report, which was prepared before Israel’s most recent round of bombings on the Strip since 7 October, UNCTAD said Gaza needs billions of dollars in international economic aid to compensate for years of restrictions that have stifled its economy and curbed its development.

“Donors and the international community need to extend significant economic aid to repair the extensive damage Gaza has experienced under prolonged restrictions and closures and frequent military operations, which has stifled the economy and decimated infrastructure,” the report said according to Reuters.

“While donor aid is important to assist the people of Gaza, it should not be viewed as a substitute for ending the restrictions and closures and calling on Israel and all parties to bear their responsibilities under international law,” it added.

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