Gaza’s 80% unemployment puts livelihoods at the heart of election hopes

Ahmad Mohsen trained as a nurse but now sells prepaid internet access cards in Deir el-Balah. The 24-year-old volunteered at a hospital during the first months of the war in Gaza, then sought paid work because he needed an income. As his first national vote approaches, his test for candidates is practical: can they help him find a steady job and live safely?

Mohsen’s priorities reflect the economic damage facing Gaza ahead of Palestinian legislative elections scheduled for November 28, according to Al Jazeera. Unemployment stands at about 80 percent, the outlet reported, with the enclave’s economy devastated by years of Israeli blockade and war. The planned vote would be the first Palestinian legislative election since 2006, putting two decades of frustrated hopes alongside urgent demands for housing, healthcare, education and work.

A vote measured in jobs and homes

Before the war, Mohsen had completed a nursing degree and was preparing to obtain his professional licence. He hoped to work in a hospital and continue his studies. His family also owns land east of Salah al-Din Street, but Israeli access restrictions prevent him from reaching it. He hopes an Israeli withdrawal under the October 2025 ceasefire agreement will allow reconstruction to begin.

For Ghassan Marwan, 53, the economic losses span a working lifetime. A former goldsmith, he built a factory that supported his family. Both his home and the factory were lost in January 2024 during the war. His children now live among tents, while he spends time finding water and carrying it over long distances. Rebuilding is not an abstract policy pledge for him; it means recovering shelter and a source of income.

“After losing your home and your source of income, what else do you want? All you hope for is reconstruction, calm and security in the country,” Marwan told Al Jazeera.

Marwan remembers voting in 2006 for a list led by independent politician Mustafa Barghouti. He described that election, won by Hamas, as transparent and fair. This time, he is divided between hope and doubt about whether conditions permit a vote. He also said the daily struggle to secure food and other necessities had pushed political engagement aside for many people.

Recovery demands meet election obstacles

The Palestinian Central Elections Commission is preparing for voting in the occupied West Bank, occupied East Jerusalem and Gaza. It estimates that about 1.24 million people in Gaza will be eligible. Its regional director there, Jamil al-Khalidi, told Al Jazeera that widespread destruction and displacement create logistical and security problems. Contingency plans include producing election materials locally if Israel restricts incoming supplies.

Gaza-based political analyst Iyad al-Qarra said the war had changed what residents expect from politics rather than erased their interest. He identified reconstruction, restored infrastructure, functioning health and education services, and renewed livelihoods as central demands. The challenge as November 28 approaches is therefore twofold: organising a vote across a devastated territory, and offering voters a credible path from political representation to economic recovery.