Gaza to issue thousands of permits for labourers to work in Israel

Gaza's labour ministry said in a statement Thursday that it would issue thousands of permits to local labourers to work in Israel in the coming weeks. 

The West Bank's Fatah and Gaza's Hamas governments are working together to issue the permits, according to Manal al-Hettah, director of relations in the ministry. 

The ministry is currently reviewing permit applications, she said.

“The workers who will be selected should be married, over 26 years old, not be employed or have a source of income, not legally banned from travelling, and be vaccinated against the coronavirus,” Hettah said.

After a years-long ban, Israel began allowing Gazan workers to apply for work inside its cities in October.

News that the permits were once again being issued saw thousands of Palestinians rush to the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce in Gaza to apply for the permits.

Gaza has been under Israeli siege since 2007, and suffers from high rates of poverty and unemployment.