The Palestinian Census Bureau reported that poverty levels are significantly rising in the Palestinian areas, and arrived to a serious level in comparison with the years prior to the Intifada.
Head of the Bureau, Luay Shibana, said in a press conference on Friday that the Israeli procedures are directly affecting the Palestinian families in the occupied territories.
“Food remains the number one demand and priority which the majority of the families need, then money and jobs”, Shibana said.
“The families are not able to pay their bills, tuitions, the residents are trying to find extra jobs in order to provide their families with their minimum needs of daily livelihood”, Shibana added.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and the UNRWA are the main two sides which are providing aid to the residents, in addition to aid provided by relatives and friends of these families.
“…still, the families need more aid, especially in the Gaza Strip, the situation is sharply deteriorating”, Shibana said.
Also, Shibana added that the salaries of government employees, NGO’s, or private workshops, are the main source of income of the residents, especially after the workers, who depend on working in Israel, were not able to reach their works as a result of closures and military checkpoints.
Health services are also declining, especially amidst the rise in the prices of certain medicines and medical equipment, which is considered one of the main obstacles the Palestinian residents are facing on daily basis.
