Gaza: Unemployment in the Gaza Strip has surged to approximately 68% during the ongoing Israeli conflict, with labor force participation dropping to about 25%, a significant decrease from the pre-war figure of 40%. This information was released by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the PCBS highlighted that unemployment in the West Bank has also seen a substantial rise, climbing to around 28% in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to about 13% in the third quarter of 2023. The decline in employment opportunities in sectors such as construction, mining, manufacturing, and transport has largely contributed to this increase.
The PCBS reported that the number of employed individuals in the West Bank decreased from 868,000 in Q3 2023 to approximately 736,000 in Q4 2025, marking a 15% drop. In Gaza, employment participation plummeted from about 292,000 workers in Q3 2023 to around 32% in Q4 2024, reflecting extensive job losses due to the ongoing conflict.
The statistics further reveal that about 74% of previously employed individuals in Gaza are now unemployed or have left the labor force. Young people, particularly those aged 15-29, have been significantly impacted, with about 74% not participating in education, training, or employment.
In the West Bank, the number of unemployed individuals rose to approximately 280,000 in Q4 2025 from around 129,000 in Q3 2023. The conflict has also affected employment within Israel, where the number of West Bank workers decreased sharply from around 172,000 in Q3 2023 to 25,000 in Q4 2023, before slightly recovering to 51,000 by Q4 2025.
The decline was most pronounced among permit holders, whose numbers fell from about 127,000 to 14,000, while workers without permits dropped from 37,000 to 21,000. Conversely, the number of workers holding Israeli, Jerusalem, or foreign IDs increased from approximately 8,000 to about 17,000.