The International Labour Organization and its partners have called for more recovery funding after unemployment reached 85.1% and labor-income losses totaled $2.77 billion in Gaza.
Gaza lost 252,000 jobs between the third quarters of 2023 and 2025, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said. In the same account, the UN labor agency said unemployment reached 85.1% and labor-income losses totaled $2.77 billion.
War and economic disruption have devastated livelihoods across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the ILO said in its 10 November 2026 announcement. At a meeting in Geneva, the agency and development partners called for more investment in a recovery centered on employment.
Over the preceding three years, the ILO said it and Palestinian partners helped generate approximately 130,000 paid workdays while restoring essential infrastructure and services. Its technical assistance also contributed to social allowances reaching over 30,000 older people and people with disabilities.
That support came through the previous Decent Work Programme for the Occupied Palestinian Territory and a complementary Emergency Response Plan. The ILO and Palestinian government, worker and employer partners are finalizing a separate Decent Work and Recovery Programme for 2026–2029, covering Gaza and the West Bank.
The new program prioritizes jobs, business recovery, social protection and the institutions and discussions that govern working life. It focuses on women, young people and people with disabilities; the ILO said women and young people face particularly limited prospects.
The ILO said 10 priority proposals identify approximately $50 million in basic investment needs. About $9 million had been mobilized over the preceding year, including contributions and funding commitments, some subject to final agreements. Italy pledged €5 million at the meeting.
Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said humanitarian assistance alone cannot restore livelihoods, essential services or the institutions needed for sustainable recovery.
A sand embankment collapse killed 5 people south of Deir al-Balah on 8 November. The UN says more than 26,000 households reported damage to shelters or belongings after the weekend storms.
The ILO said it will work with development partners to turn expressions of support into financial commitments and operational partnerships, while advancing the program with Palestinian partners. Expanding employment and business-recovery interventions will require additional resources.
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