16 Years of Gaza Siege: Closed Factories and Occupation Paralyze Palestinians' Lives

Dec 01, 2022 12:54 pm

Nuha Eleyan

Sixteen years ago, the Israeli occupation imposed a blockade on Gaza, which brought its economy into a general stagnation; almost total closure of commercial crossings, tight restrictions on the movement of traders and businessmen, and successive wars on Gaza. All of this eventually caused the destruction of factories and businesses, and loss of jobs.

Deterioration of the Economic Situation

Reports showed that the unemployment rates in Gaza are one of the highest around the world. This what was confirmed by Maher Al-Tabba', Director of Public Relations and Information in Gaza's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during an interview with PALM Strategic Initiatives Centre. "The Israeli siege and the restrictions imposed on Gaza Strip have led to worsening the economic situation and raising unemployment rates to over 50%, and poverty rates to 64%. All these indicators refer to the poor conditions in Gaza," he said. "More than 7,000 economic buildings, including a big industrial one, have been destroyed by the four wars that Gaza has experienced," he added.

Al Tabaha stressed that the closure of Gaza's main crossings and the difficulty of entering raw materials used in the industry had a big impact on the production and disposal process, arguing that such materials were of dual use. He also warned that the economy in the Strip is swinging "on an edge of the abyss" and in case the situation continued at the same pace, much of the crisis would be intensified and there would be no life basics.

He, moreover, noted that despite all negative indicators, electricity outages and the closure of crossings, the resilience of citizens cheer up the spirits as many industrial and strategic establishments that are considered the best in Palestine have been built.

Recovery Followed by a Closure

The economic situation before the occupation siege on Gaza was prosperous, as confirmed by Yousry Mahani, owner of a closed plastic factory. In his dialogue with PALM Strategic Initiatives Centre, he said: "There has been an increase in the production and marketing of plastic products locally and externally for the cities of the occupied West Bank, which used to weekly receive two trucks of all products."

"Quickly, however, Gaza entered a tragic situation, with the closure of the crossings and commercial outlets. This has made it difficult to obtain raw materials, and in case they were found, they be too costly. Therefore, the company no longer exports products abroad, affecting production and export, and decreasing purchase process," Mahani continued.

Successive wars against the Strip have made the situation even worse because of the occupation's targeting of factories. Mahani said: "We were subjected to more than one aggression by the occupation." He added, "The first was in 2009 when the factory was destroyed with its machinery and raw materials. We rebuilt it then to be destroyed again in 2014 by the occupation. We did not lose hope and rebuilt it again, until the year 2018 came, when our losses increased dramatically and we were forced to close the factory, especially with the continued power outages for long periods every day, which affected the production process."

A Dream Turns into a Nightmare

Nahed Shaker, employee in the closed plastic factory, said in an interview with PALM "While working at the factory, I was providing the needs of my ten children. I cared about their education very much and I was able to provide all their school requirements; however, gradually and with the closure of the factory, I became jobless and no longer able to provide them with the everyday life basics. My children were forced to leave their education to look for jobs to provide daily subsistence."

He noted that he relied on humanitarian assistance to provide basic needs for the home.

The hope remains tinged with fear of the future. Because of the tension in Gaza Strip, the owner of the destroyed factory is in between two options: either sitting in his house waiting for compensation, which may not come, and saving as much money as he can, whether by indebtedness or if he has a personal asset that enables him to go back to work.

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