Poverty rate in Palestine will rise to 74.3%, UN report reveals

The poverty rate in Palestine will rise to 74.3 percent in 2024, affecting 4.1 million citizens, including 2.61 million new people joining the ranks of the poor, a UN report said on Tuesday. The report, issued by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), added that the GDP is estimated to shrink by 35.1 percent in 2024 compared to estimates in the absence of the war, with the unemployment rate rising to 49.9 percent. The report, titled "The Gaza War: Projected Socio-Economic Impacts on the State of Palestine - October 2024 Update," predicted that the GDP would shrink by 35.1 percent in 2024, compared to the no-war scenario, with the unemployment rate rising to 49.9 percent. UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said, "The projections in the new assessment confirm that amidst the human suffering and loss of life, there are signs of a serious development crisis that jeopardizes the future of future Palestinian generations." Sour ce: Jordan News Agency