GENEVA: At least 66 per cent of jobs have been lost in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October, the International Labour (ILO) said on Wednesday, warning that employment losses could continue to increase in the enclave.

The losses amount to a total of 192,000 jobs in the small Palestinian territory, the ILO said in its second assessment of the impact of Israeli ground and air strikes on Gaza which began after a deadly cross-border incursion by Hamas gunmen on Oct. 7.

In a first assessment released in early November, ILO estimated that 182,000 jobs had been lost in Gaza, a figure representing more than 60pc of employment.

“Today hardly anybody in Gaza is able to earn income from work,” said Peter Rademaker, ILO deputy regional director for the Arab states.

“It’s clearly a still growing curve,” he said of employment loss. “It might even get worse.”

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2023