Israeli authorities have revoked the work permits of over 130,000 Palestinians, leaving thousands without a steady income and forcing many to take risks crossing the separation wall into Israeli territory. The decision was made in October 2023, following Hamas's attack on Israel, and has resulted in numerous deaths and injuries among Palestinian workers.
Arafat Qaddous, a 51-year-old construction worker from the West Bank, lost his permit after Hamas's attack. He took a risk crossing the wall to work in Taybeh, inside Israel, but was shot by Israeli police and killed when he fell off the barrier. His brother described him as risking his life for the sake of providing for his family during difficult economic times.
Since October 2023, at least 44 Palestinian workers have died trying to cross the wall, with many more suffering serious injuries. The Palestinian Workers' Union reports that these deaths and injuries are often a result of Israeli police chasing workers who are attempting to cross the barrier in search of work.
Israel's occupation has shaped the West Bank's economy for nearly six decades, creating a structure in which Palestinians rely on work in Israel or its settlements for survival. However, Palestinian workers face dire conditions, including no guaranteed sick leave, delayed or denied benefits, and the threat of deportation at any time.
In Gaza, thousands of workers were detained by Israeli authorities following Hamas's attack, with many being subjected to torture and psychological abuse during interrogations. The worker described how he was tied up, blindfolded, and beaten before being transferred to another prison for nine days of interrogation.
The decision to revoke work permits has had devastating consequences for Palestinian families, who rely on the income provided by their loved ones working in Israel or its settlements. Many have been left without a steady income, with some having saved money that was lost during the recent winter storms.
The situation has sparked widespread criticism from human rights groups and activists, who argue that Israel is violating international law and Palestinian workers' rights. The decision to revoke work permits and subject Palestinians to harsh treatment has raised concerns about the escalating violence and instability in the region.
As tensions continue to rise, many are calling on the international community to take action and hold Israel accountable for its actions. With unemployment rates soaring in Gaza and the West Bank, many are left wondering if they will ever be able to build a better future for themselves and their families.
Arafat Qaddous, a 51-year-old construction worker from the West Bank, lost his permit after Hamas's attack. He took a risk crossing the wall to work in Taybeh, inside Israel, but was shot by Israeli police and killed when he fell off the barrier. His brother described him as risking his life for the sake of providing for his family during difficult economic times.
Since October 2023, at least 44 Palestinian workers have died trying to cross the wall, with many more suffering serious injuries. The Palestinian Workers' Union reports that these deaths and injuries are often a result of Israeli police chasing workers who are attempting to cross the barrier in search of work.
Israel's occupation has shaped the West Bank's economy for nearly six decades, creating a structure in which Palestinians rely on work in Israel or its settlements for survival. However, Palestinian workers face dire conditions, including no guaranteed sick leave, delayed or denied benefits, and the threat of deportation at any time.
In Gaza, thousands of workers were detained by Israeli authorities following Hamas's attack, with many being subjected to torture and psychological abuse during interrogations. The worker described how he was tied up, blindfolded, and beaten before being transferred to another prison for nine days of interrogation.
The decision to revoke work permits has had devastating consequences for Palestinian families, who rely on the income provided by their loved ones working in Israel or its settlements. Many have been left without a steady income, with some having saved money that was lost during the recent winter storms.
The situation has sparked widespread criticism from human rights groups and activists, who argue that Israel is violating international law and Palestinian workers' rights. The decision to revoke work permits and subject Palestinians to harsh treatment has raised concerns about the escalating violence and instability in the region.
As tensions continue to rise, many are calling on the international community to take action and hold Israel accountable for its actions. With unemployment rates soaring in Gaza and the West Bank, many are left wondering if they will ever be able to build a better future for themselves and their families.
! Like, 130k Palestinians without work permits? That's insane! Israel's always making these decisions that hurt the Palestinian people, but nobody's really holding them accountable. I mean, we know they're violating international law and exploiting workers, but what are governments gonna do about it? 
. The way Israeli police are chasing down workers who just want to earn a living is ridiculous – no wonder there have been so many deaths and injuries 
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. We need to get our act together as a global community and support the Palestinians – they deserve so much better than this 
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this is so unfair 
130k+ ppl losing work permits? that's insane 
how can Israel do this? they're basically forcing ppl to take risks with their lives just to make ends meet 
what about all these families who are struggling to survive? 
they need stability & security, not this kind of chaos 
I mean what kind of world do we live in where people gotta risk their lives just to make ends meet? 
The worker who got killed trying to get to work... his family deserves so much better 
We need to come together and support them, and also make sure that Israel holds themselves accountable for their actions 
And can we please talk about the human rights situation in Gaza? It's like a nightmare over there 
. I mean, who needs a steady income when you can risk your life crossing the wall? Like, what's the worst that could happen? You get shot or beaten up by the cops... no biggie, right? 
But seriously, 44 deaths is like, way too many, fam. It's like Israel is all "Hey, let's just revoke these permits and watch them struggle" 
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. I'm just hoping someone does something, because at this point, Palestinian families are like, "Hey, can we please just have a steady income and not risk our lives?" 
the intl community needs 2 take action & hold israel accountable 4 thier actions 
. The fact that Israel is violating international law and Palestinian workers' rights is just a huge red flag 
. I feel like the world needs to take action and hold Israel accountable for its actions.
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It's like they're stuck in this never-ending cycle of poverty.
like, we can't just sit back and watch as ppl suffer because of politics 
They're not even hurting anyone with their jobs. It's all about money and control. 
It's like they're trying to trap them in this never-ending cycle of poverty and suffering. 
We gotta do something! 
. The international community needs to step in and hold Israel accountable for its actions 
. We can't just sit back and watch as families struggle to survive 
my heart goes out 2 all these ppl struggling 2 make ends meet 
thousands left without income, some even lost their savings 
whats the point of all dis violence & instability? 
israel needs 2 rethink its policies & treat ppl w/ respect & dignity 
