According to a new United Nations report, Israel’s war on Gaza has set back development indicators such as health and education by nearly 70 years, with millions more Palestinians falling below the poverty line.
In a report published on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said that the overall Palestinian economy is now 35 percent smaller compared with a year ago at the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, with unemployment “potentially rising” to an estimated 49.9 percent.
The UNDP research showed the Human Development Index (HDI) for Gaza, a measure of “average achievement in key dimensions of human development,” is projected to drop to a level estimated for 1955, “erasing over 69 years of progress.”
In the occupied West Bank, the HDI was expected to drop to a level “reflecting a loss of 16 years,” the report said, warning it was “likely to further worsen” if Israeli military assaults expand.
It said that the poverty rate across the enclave will almost double this year to 74.3 percent.
In all, 4.1 million people are now considered impoverished across the Palestinian territory, including the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, with 2.61 million added in the last year alone, according to the report.
The study also disclosed that Israel’s bombing campaign created 42 million tonnes of rubble in Gaza, posing serious health risks.
It noted that the destruction of solar panels is particularly dangerous given the lead and other heavy metals they release.
Chitose Noguchi, a UNDP representative, from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, stressed that the state of Palestine is experiencing unprecedented levels of setbacks.
UNDP Head, Achim Steiner told a news agency that the immediate consequence of the war in terms of infrastructure destruction, as well as poverty and loss of livelihoods “is enormous.”
“It’s quite clear from this socioeconomic assessment, that the level of destruction has set back the state of Palestine by years, if not decades, in terms of its development pathway.”
Achim Steiner
Steiner added that even if humanitarian aid is delivered each year after the war ends, the Palestinian economy will not return to its pre-crisis levels for at least a decade.
UNRWA Makes Urgent Plea For Ceasefire
Also on Tuesday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) made an urgent plea for a pause in the fighting in northern Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to reach trapped civilians there.
In a post on X, UNRWA Chief, Philippe Lazzarini said that the agency’s staff reported being unable to find food, water or medicine in the war-battered region.
“The smell of death is everywhere as bodies are left lying on the roads or under the rubble. Missions to clear the bodies or provide humanitarian assistance are denied.”
Philippe Lazzarini
Additionally, Tor Wennesland, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, noted that the challenges faced by the people of Gaza are enormous, ranging from urgent needs for food and medical supplies to protection. “A significant increase in the entry of humanitarian assistance and an improvement in security is urgently required,” he said in a post on X.
Wennesland reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all captives held in Gaza.
“I call on all relevant parties to urgently pursue these goals. Gaza is an integral part of Palestine. Ultimately, the solution for Gaza is political.”
Tor Wennesland
Gaza’s Government Media Office stated that since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, Israeli forces have prevented the entry of “more than a quarter of a million trucks of aid and goods,” leaving 96 percent of its people facing high levels of food shortage.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 42,718 people have been killed and 100,282 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023.
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