In the war-torn Palestinian enclave of Gaza, the struggle for everyday survival has sharpened into a stark economic crisis as jobs vanish, wages dry up and families grapple with rising prices for basic goods even as international aid flows into the territory. Once a bustling coastal economy, Gaza has seen its commercial life collapse under the weight of years of conflict, widespread destruction of industry and infrastructure, and constraints on movement and trade that have crippled economic activity and pushed unemployment to levels unseen in most of the world.
Every day, tens of thousands of Gazans walk through streets lined with rubble and empty storefronts in search of work that simply does not exist. For men like 23-year-old Mansour Mohammad Bakr, whose livelihood as a fisherman was wiped out in the two-year war, the reality of life has become a relentless quest for income. He rises each morning from his rented room in Gaza City, passing the Mediterranean shoreline where he once cast his nets, not to return home with a catch but to wander through market stalls looking for casual labour. “Money is the main means of survival in Gaza,” he told reporters, underlining the harsh truth that, without cash, even basic subsistence is impossible.
International agencies have increased humanitarian assistance since a ceasefire was agreed in October, and tens of thousands of tonnes of food aid now reach millions of people across Gaza each month. The United Nations and partner organisations report that around 1.6 million residents receive general food assistance, and charities like World Central Kitchen serve up to 1 million hot meals a day. Even so, that support only addresses the barest essentials, leaving residents to rely on markets for essentials such as fruit, vegetables and household goods — items whose prices have soared amid limited supplies and collapsing purchasing power.
The broader economic picture is bleak. According to United Nations estimates, unemployment in Gaza has climbed to around 80 per cent, and the territory’s economy now functions at just a fraction — roughly 13 per cent — of its pre-war level. The catastrophic fall in economic productivity reflects the destruction of factories, farms, fishing fleets and service industries, as well as the loss of infrastructure essential to commerce and employment. International bodies, including the International Labour Organization and Palestinian statisticians, have documented a near-total collapse of formal labour markets and a dramatic contraction in gross domestic product.
The consequences are visible across Gaza’s shattered urban landscape. Former business owners, like 55-year-old trader Mohammed al-Far, have tried and failed to restart enterprises such as falafel and sweets shops, only to find themselves mired in debt as customers with little to spend pass by. Others with professional qualifications, including university graduates in medical sciences, have been relegated to informal work or unemployment, unable to translate their skills into sustainable income. For many, even essential expenditures — transportation, mobile phone charging, water and modest food purchases — remain out of reach without cash income.
The extreme joblessness has forced families to adopt coping strategies that blur the line between survival and despair. With formal employment scarce, some residents take on informal street vending or seek day labour in low-paying and unstable roles, while others depend entirely on aid distributions or remittances. A recent United Nations food security analysis noted that, despite modest improvements in food availability since the ceasefire, one in five households still manages only a single meal a day, and nearly all markets remain well below pre-conflict diversity and affordability.
Efforts to stimulate economic recovery have been stymied by persistent political and logistical barriers. The Israeli blockade, ongoing restrictions on border crossings, unresolved governance issues, and recurrent outbreaks of violence have delayed reconstruction and discouraged investment. Plans for infrastructure rehabilitation and international support have made limited headway, leaving the majority of Gaza’s residents without hope of meaningful employment or economic stability in the near future.
As families navigate this precarious existence, the need for sustained and expanded economic opportunities looms large. Without a functioning labour market and a return to productive economic activity, the humanitarian assistance that currently prevents mass starvation will provide little more than a temporary reprieve, rather than a foundation for lasting recovery.
