The accelerated resumption of cash welfare assistance in Gaza is urgently needed to avoid further socioeconomic repercussions

The delay in the Palestinian Ministry of Development’s cash assistance within its welfare program is causing further hardship in the Gaza Strip. The subsidies, which are delivered on a trimonthly basis, provide relief to 79,629 low-income families, including around 220,821 children and over 34,508 senior citizens. Many of the beneficiaries are either disabled or suffer from a chronic disease. Al Mezan Center for Human Rights warns that without regular welfare payments, already soaring food insecurity rates could increase.  

According to available information, families have received just two payments in the past nine months: on 24 December 2020 and on 5 May 2021, receiving a uniform amount of 750 shekels (ca. US$232) each time.  

Following Israel’s May 2021 offensive, Gaza’s prospects for economic recovery are particularly bleak. The offensive not only resulted in large-scale destruction of civilian properties but also resulted in heightened closure measures that have amplified the effects of Israel’s 14-year closure that, due to its severity and length, has devastated Gaza’s economy. Since the offensive, Qatar’s aid money—provided in subsidies to Gaza since 2018—has also stalled. Against this backdrop, a drop in monetary indicators, such as market liquidity and money supply, has been observed.       

Gaza’s impoverished communities—particularly the beneficiaries of welfare programs—are the hardest hit by the current economic crises. The start of the school year also entails additional expenses, and the ongoing spread of COVID-19 poses further health and welfare risks to families.

Al Mezan calls on the competent Palestinian authorities to expedite the disbursement of cash welfare payments and likewise to ensure payment regularity in accordance with the established procedures. The authorities are also urged to take effective action to combat poverty as an essential step toward the full enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms.

 

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