Gaza - "Jerusalem" dot com - Al -Mezan Center for Human Rights said, on Wednesday, that the prices of goods and commodities in the Gaza Strip witnessed a remarkable increase, due to the impact of supply chains since the spread of the Corona pandemic, and continued to rise after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, especially the prices of basic commodities. such as flour, rice, sugar, and cooking oils. On the other hand, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is exacerbated by the Israeli violations and the suffocating blockade imposed by the occupation authorities for the 16th year in a row, which led to an economic collapse, undermined the basics of life, and weakened the resilience of the population of the Gaza Strip.

According to the center, the information indicates that the past months witnessed an increase in the prices of basic commodities, as the price of flour increased by (22.7%), sugar by (24.5%), red meat by (5.5%), and household gas by (11.1%). And gasoline by (7.5%), diesel by (12.7%), and the price of eggs increased by (27.2%), in addition to the increase in the price of vegetable oils.

The rise in prices comes in light of the spread of unemployment, poverty, and extreme poverty, as the data indicates that about (64%) of families in the Gaza Strip suffer from food insecurity.

Central Agency data showed that the poverty rate in the Gaza Strip amounted to (53.0%), and that about a third of the population of the Gaza Strip (33.7%) suffers from extreme poverty [3]. While unemployment rates rose to record (47%) among the labor force, and the percentage of wage employees in the private sector who receive a monthly wage less than the minimum wage reached (90%) in 2022.

In this context, the trader (A.L.), a resident of northern Gaza, said, "After the insane increase in the prices of goods, the purchasing power of customers has declined, so that it no longer allows the purchase of basic commodities and the payment of debts, and the sales rate decreased by 40% inside the store."

Trader M.A., one of the food importers, reported that there was a significant rise in the prices of basic commodities after the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, especially with regard to flour and sugar, which prompted some retailers not to pay the prices of the goods that we supply to them, because customers Especially low-income people, they have become more indebted, and the percentage of selling non-essential foodstuffs has decreased, prompting a large part of merchants to sell them with offers that may reach half of their price or less, because the expiration date is approaching, thus reducing the percentage of losses.

It should be noted that the military attacks that affected the infrastructure and civilian objects, especially industrial facilities and agricultural holdings, played a fundamental role in undermining the economic conditions and contributed to the loss of thousands of employees, workers and employers, their sources of income, to become poor.

According to a report issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OCHA[5]), the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is the result of the absence of commitment to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and the crises resulting from the presence of the Israeli military occupation for more than 55, and the crisis has been exacerbated by the compounding effect of the increased cost of goods due to the war in Ukraine and the slow recovery from the May 2021 escalation of hostilities.

According to the report, 58% of the population of the Gaza Strip is in need of humanitarian assistance, and a large percentage of families suffer from catastrophic or extremely difficult conditions.

Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights warned of the repercussions of the high prices of basic commodities on the population in the Gaza Strip, especially the vulnerable groups, which deprives them of enjoying their basic rights, especially economic, social and cultural, and contributes to the increase in the number of the poor, especially those who suffer from malnutrition and food insecurity, which may It undermines stability and security in the region.

The Center reiterated that the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories and the continuous violations, especially targeting the economic, agricultural, industrial and commercial sectors by bombing and destruction, and the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip for about 16 years, constitute the main factor in the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights called on the international community, especially the High Signatories to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to assume its legal and moral responsibilities, to take urgent action to protect the civilian population, to stop the continuous Israeli violations, and to end the blockade, as it is one of the most prominent forms of persecution and collective punishment that amounts to war crimes.

He also called on the Palestinian authorities to take urgent measures to address the problems of unemployment and poverty in the Palestinian territories in general, and the Gaza Strip in particular, and to consider tax deduction in a way that serves the improvement of living conditions, and to intervene to protect the vulnerable and poorest groups.

Al Mezan Center called on international institutions and relief organizations to increase their role in combating poverty, help bring about human and economic development, and develop programs and projects that contribute to economic empowerment, in order to effectively contribute to reducing the problem of poverty and its effects.