- Israel announced the addition of 2,000 work permits for Palestinians in Gaza on Thursday.
- The increase brings the total number of work permits issued to 14,000.
- Thousands of Gazans rely on employment in Israel because they can earn more on farms and construction sites.
Israel announced the addition of 2,000 work permits for Palestinians in Gaza on Thursday, raising the total number of work permits for the blockaded territory to 14,000.
COGAT, the Israeli military ministry department responsible for civil activities in the Palestinian territories, stated, “Following a security assessment, the minister of defence has decided to raise the quota of entry permits for work and commerce in Israel by 2,000.”
Read more: In an effort to avoid Russia, the EU signs gas deals with Israel and Egypt
Since 2007, when the Palestinian Islamist party Hamas took control of the government, Israel has put a strict blockade on the Gaza Strip.
The only link between Gaza and Egypt not under Israeli control is the Rafah crossing, which has also remained mainly closed.
As per a recent assessment by the World Bank, the unemployment rate among Gaza’s more than two million residents is approximately 48 percent.
Thousands of Gazans rely on employment in Israel because they can earn far greater earnings on Israeli farms and construction sites than in Gaza.
Read more: Israel urges nationals to leave Turkey over Iran attack threat
