Ramallah – Ma’an – Today, Tuesday, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics issued a press release in which it reviewed the most important social and economic indicators about the impact of the Israeli occupation war on the Gaza Strip, as follows: The statistics indicated in its statement that more than 3,000 martyrs in Palestine
during The year 2023 is the largest toll that Palestine has witnessed in more than two decades.
He added, “During the year 2023, Palestine witnessed an accelerating Israeli escalation against all vehicles of Palestinian society, affecting stones, trees, and people, and increasing the restrictions on the capabilities of the Palestinian people. The number of martyrs has reached since the beginning of this year until the issuance of this statement.” 3,057 martyrs were concentrated in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, with 2,793 martyrs in the Gaza Strip and 264 martyrs in the West Bank, which is the largest death toll in Palestine since the second intifada, and more than 11,000 were injured as a result of the Israeli war on Gaza, and what was destroyed was More than 2,185 buildings in total, and 8,840 housing units in total, in addition to the partial destruction of more than 89,000 housing units, and approximately 680,000 citizens were displaced within the Strip, far from their places of residence.”
A structural distortion in the Gaza Strip’s ability to recover, and indicators warning of a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.
He stated that about 2.2 million people live in the Gaza Strip in an area not exceeding 365 km², most of them refugees. The population density in the Gaza Strip, amounting to 6,102 individuals/km², is considered one of the highest densely populated areas in the world. It suffers from demographic pressure on the basic resources of production factors on the one hand. On the other hand, the series of repeated wars on the Gaza Strip led to almost complete destruction of the most basic necessities of life for the Palestinian individual. Unemployment and poverty rates escalated to reach their highest levels, with unemployment rates exceeding 45% during the first half of 2023. In addition, more than 50% of Young graduates are unemployed, and the Palestinian per capita share of income is equivalent to half the Palestinian per capita share in the West Bank, and poverty and malnutrition rates have worsened until they exceeded the 80% barrier. On the other hand, the per capita share of water in the Gaza Strip was about 80 liters/day, which is much less than the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization, which is estimated at about 150 liters/day per capita, taking into account that more than 97% of the Gaza Strip’s water is It does not meet the World Health Organization standards for drinking water, and until the first half of 2023 economic indicators indicate a decline in the Gaza Strip’s contribution to the gross domestic product in the State of Palestine from about 34% for the years before 2006 to fall below 18%, which led to A structural distortion in the ability of the Gaza Strip to recover. The above indicators indicate that the Gaza Strip is suffering from a difficult economic situation before the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. This devastating war comes to increase the suffering of this sector, as the Gaza Strip is deprived of the least human rights, including water. Electricity, fuel, and a major shortage of medicines and basic health supplies, which portends a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.”
A decline in gross domestic product of an estimated value of 500 million US dollars during the year 2023 compared to the year 2022. The
Statistics Center said that the level of recovery in the Palestinian economy during the year 2022 is still limited as a result of a group of factors, the most important of which is the sharp decline in external support, and the Israeli occupation’s continued deduction of part of Tax revenues (set-offs) throughout the year; As the continued policy of the Israeli occupation to deduct clearing funds during the year 2023, in addition to the recent Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and the policy of restrictions and closure between the governorates of the West Bank by the Israeli occupation, all of this would increase the state of stagnation and decline in the growth rates of the Palestinian economy as well as On the government’s ability to fulfill its obligations towards Palestinian society.
He added, “The continuation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip for a month and its effects extending over the following two months, and the accompanying repercussions on the economy in the West Bank, will lead to a decline in the gross domestic product of Palestine in 2023 at an estimated value of 500 million US dollars, or by 3 percent.” % compared to the year 2022, after the Palestinian economy was supposed to achieve a growth of 3% in the same year, as a result of the cessation of daily production in the sector.
16 million US dollars, the value of the daily loss of production as a result of the complete disruption of all economic activities in the Gaza Strip, except for losses in property and fixed assets. During the first half
of 2023, the gross domestic product in Palestine witnessed an increase of 3% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, which in turn Make the level of increase in the Palestinian per capita income not exceed 1% compared to the same period in 2022. However, the recent Israeli war on the Gaza Strip will lead to a decline in the Palestinian economy during the second half of 2023, as the expected daily loss of the value of production in the Strip Gaza is estimated at $16 million as a result of the cessation of production for all economic activities except for losses in property and fixed assets.
Estimates of a decline in per capita income by 5% during the year 2023 and a decrease in the level of consumption by 1.2%, which increases poverty rates in Palestine and at the
level of expenditure, total consumption increased by 6% during the first half of 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year. (7% in the West Bank, 5% in the Gaza Strip), where private consumption by households and private sector establishments witnessed an increase of 8%, while public (governmental) consumption decreased by 2% during the same period, while total investment (formation Constant capital) rose by 7%. During the year 2023, it is expected that per capita income will decline by 5%, accompanied by a decrease in the level of consumption in Palestine by 1.2% as a result of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and its repercussions on Palestine, thus raising poverty levels in Palestine.
The level of trade exchange in the Gaza Strip decreased by half before the year 2006,
and at the level of the volume of trade exchange with the outside world, the first half of 2023 witnessed an increase in the value of exports of goods and services by 21%, offset by an increase in imports by 19% during the same period, and as a result Because the value of imports is equivalent to about three times the value of exports, this led to an increase in the trade balance deficit by 18%. It is worth noting that the volume of trade exchange for the Gaza Strip before 2006 reached 23% of the total trade exchange for Palestine, so this percentage decreased to less than 12%. During the year 2023, and during the last war on the Strip, supply chains to and from the Strip stopped, which portends a health disaster throughout the Gaza Strip as a result of the severe shortage of medicines and health supplies.
Estimates of an increase in unemployment rates in Palestine to exceed 28% during 2023 after it was 25.5% in the year 2022. At the
level of employment and workers, Palestine is witnessing a regional gap in unemployment rates. During the year 2022, the unemployment rate in the West Bank reached about 13.1% and in the Gaza Strip about 45.3%. The unemployment rate decreased during the second quarter of 2023 to 24.7%, compared to 25.2% during the first quarter of this year. Estimates indicate that unemployment rates will rise from 25.5% in 2022 to exceed 28% in 2023 as a result of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and its repercussions on Palestine.
An increase in the level of prices in Palestine during the year 2023.
With regard to the price levels in Palestine, the rates of inflation in prices are directly affected by the price levels in Israel and the repercussions of external crises due to the large import of consumer goods from abroad and Israel, and it is affected through three basic aspects. The first is that we are talking about the cover A joint customs duty between the Israeli occupation and Palestine, which requires us to keep value-added tax rates within a margin of two percentage points. The second axis is our lack of control over the borders and crossings and thus control of supply chains. The third axis is the lack of a national currency and thus we remain a bet on global fluctuations. During the first half of 2023, The consumer price index in Palestine increased by 3.82% compared to the first half of the year 2022. The prices of some basic commodities rose, which negatively affected the spending of Palestinian families, and decreased purchasing value and thus its impact on poverty levels in Palestine. The recent Israeli war on the Gaza Strip would also Inflation rates will increase in Palestine during the coming period. Estimates indicate that an increase in the exchange rate of the dollar against the shekel by 1% will increase inflation rates by an amount equivalent to 1.6%.
Source: Maan News Agency