Bleeding Livelihood: 47 Palestinian Workers Martyred Since Early 2026 and an Unprecedented Unemployment Crisis

Palestinian trade union sources reported the martyrdom of approximately 47 workers since the beginning of 2026, who fell either within the occupied territories of 1948 or near the apartheid wall. Abdul Hakam Al-Shaibani, head of the legal department at the Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions, confirmed that these figures reflect a bloody reality that workers face daily in order to secure a livelihood for their families.

Al-Shaibani explained that the labor sector has been experiencing a real catastrophe since October 7, 2023, with approximately 550,000 workers unable to practice their usual professions. This huge number represents immense pressure that exceeds the capabilities of local institutions and directly affects the livelihood of nearly half of Palestinian society, which relies entirely on the wages of these workers.

In light of these tragic circumstances, the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions decided to cancel all celebrations for Labor Day this year, in solidarity with the victims and those affected. Al-Shaibani pointed out that the current reality requires cooperation between the government, the Ministry of Labor, and the private sector to confront the economic and political challenges facing the Palestinian Authority and its partners.

Regarding workers resorting to rough and dangerous routes to reach their workplaces, Al-Shaibani described them as 'death traps' they are forced into to escape extreme poverty. He affirmed that the motives associated with difficult living conditions are the primary driver for this risk, as there is no real alternative that can absorb such large numbers of laborers in the local market.

The trade union official touched upon the employment projects recently proposed by the Ministries of Labor and Local Government, describing them as 'limited and temporary.' He clarified that these initiatives can only accommodate dozens of workers, while the actual need includes hundreds of thousands, necessitating the launch of major productive projects by Palestinian capitalists.

On the level of community initiatives, the 'Repaying the Favor' campaign launched by the private sector to support financially struggling workers stood out. The initiative aims to urge businessmen to forgive workers' debts and calls for the cancellation of arrest warrants related to personal checks and financial liabilities that have accumulated as a result of job losses and the siege imposed on the West Bank.

In a related context, Al-Shaibani criticized the policies of some international institutions, specifically mentioning UNRWA after it dismissed a number of employees in Qalqilya city. He considered that such measures complicate the humanitarian situation further, calling on the International Labor Organization and the International Trade Union Confederation to expose Israeli practices against Palestinian workers.

Al-Shaibani concluded his remarks by pointing to the absence of a social security law, emphasizing that its existence would have provided full protection and a safety net for workers in such crises. He stressed the need for the Board of Directors of the Arab Labor Organization to act internationally to support the Palestinian Employment Fund and provide urgent training programs and economic protection to stop the daily bloodshed.

What drives workers to take death routes other than the tragic economic conditions that exceed the capacity of any official or trade union body to solve individually.