The Palestine General Federation of Trade Union (PGFTU) shared an update on the situation in Gaza after 100 days of war. The humanitarian situation has also severely affected Palestinian workers, including those in the West Bank. The united call to all workers and unions is clear: Immediate ceasefire in Gaza International protection, a stop to the bombing and siege on Hospitals and humanitarian and medical Aid for the Gaza Strip.
Key takeaways:
Since the beginning of the war, there has been no income for the workers because they stopped working in the Israeli labor market. Some of them began selling their home furniture to feed their family, so that their monthly losses are estimated at more than (1) billion and (250) million shekels, which paralyzed the economy in the West Bank, by dismissing more than 80 thousand workers in the Palestinian labor market.
• Total of Palestinian workers in Israel (190,000).
• The Martyrs from workers in 2023 (113).
In the Israeli labor market in 2023:
- (79) workers.
- (2) killed by settlers.
- (2) by war clashes.
- (12) Gazan workers killed inside Israel.
- (3) killed by torture under detention
In the labor market in Gaza and West Bank in 2023:
- (27) Martyr workers in West Bank.
- (1) killed by settlers while picking olives in his own land on October 28 / 2023.
- (1) A taxi driver was targeted by the occupation forces in Hebron Governorate on November 13/2023
- (1) was targeted by the occupation forces at the Beit Aynoun Junction in Hebron while working as a parcel distributor on December 20/2023
- (5) Martyrs were killed on their way to their workplaces.
Detainees:
PGFTU emphasizes that the number of Gazan workers inside Israeli labor market approached (19,000) workers, since October 7th, 2023, all their work permissions were cancelled.
We estimated a number of (10,000) workers who worked in in Israel until the 7th of October, after the 7th of October events, PGFTU in the West Bank hosted (5,838) workers and provided them with (housing, food, clothing), (80) were arrested out of (982) workers while going back from the West bank to Gaza.
- Meanwhile the Israeli, arrested (4,000) workers from their workplaces inside Israel or on checkpoints on their way trying to go back home, (3,200) at least released and deported to Gaza.
Three workers from Gaza were arrested in the town of Aqraba, southeast of the city of Nablus, at dawn on Saturday, 2/12/2023. - (67) workers from Gaza were arrested in the town of Feroun, south of the city of Tulkarm, at dawn on Thursday, 7/12/2023.
- (15) workers from Gaza were arrested in the Bidya municipality complex, with the occupation army storming the council of PGFTU in the town of Bidya, located northwest of Salfit Governorate, Sunday morning, 1/14/2024, and tampering its contents.
PGFTU demands and emphasize on:
1. There is No security and military solution for Gaza.
2. It is not possible to accept or deal with the isolation of Gaza from the Palestinian State.
3. Immediate ceasefire and stop the attacks on Gaza.
4. International protection, Stop the bombing and siege on Hospitals.
5. Providing humanitarian and medical Aid for Gaza Strip, and immediate protection for medical staff.
6. Stop chasing the workers in their workplaces both inside of Israel and in the West Bank.
7. Permissions for workers to go back home safely to the West Bank and Gaza.
8. Immediate release of all the prisoners from Gaza and West Bank.
9. Pressure on the Israeli government to compensate Palestinian workers who work in the Israeli labor market due to their cessation of work following the war for approximately (3) months.
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