In the midst of the recent escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine, thousands of Palestinian day laborers from Gaza have gone missing in Israel. These workers, who were previously granted work permits, are now stranded and their families fear for their safety, suspecting they may have been imprisoned or worse.

The Palestinian people have endured numerous waves of dispossession and displacement throughout history, with the Nakba in 1948 being one of the most devastating events. Over 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes, and more than 500 Palestinian villages were destroyed during this catastrophic period.

The ongoing suffering for Palestinians continues, with the Gaza Strip being home to many refugees who still hold the keys to their former houses. Over the past three weeks, the violence has intensified, resulting in the deaths of over 8,000 Palestinians due to Israeli bombardments on mosques, schools, hospitals, and residential buildings.

Since 2007, Gaza has been under a suffocating siege, which restricts the entry of essential resources such as food, medicine, and construction materials. As a result, the unemployment rate in Gaza has reached a staggering 47 percent. In an attempt to earn a living and support their families, many Palestinians have sought work permits as day laborers in Israel since October 2021. However, the process of obtaining these permits is arduous and unpredictable, with Israel implementing a quota system that often leads to denials. Of the 19,000 Palestinians from Gaza who managed to secure work permits, they face daily challenges including long border waits, rigorous security checks, and grueling commutes.

Yasmin, a Palestinian trade union organizer, highlights that these workers are forced into the most undesirable and physically demanding jobs, being considered outsiders in the country. The permits are specifically tied to industries facing a shortage of Israeli workers, including construction, agriculture, and manufacturing. Consequently, the risk of serious injuries for these workers is considerably higher. However, due to the urgency to provide for their families, they have no choice but to accept these precarious conditions.

As the latest wave of violence erupted, the Erez crossing into Gaza was shut down completely, leaving thousands of Palestinian laborers stranded on the Israeli side. They now find themselves far from their families and without a source of income, as their work permits were revoked. This situation mirrors the all-too-familiar pattern of displacement, dispossession, and uncertainty that Palestinians continually face.

Shaher Saed, the general secretary of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), reports that many of these workers are missing, stranded, arrested, or deported to the West Bank. A worrying aspect is that there is a lack of information regarding the condition and whereabouts of around 5,000 workers, as Israeli authorities have not responded to inquiries from NGOs. It is estimated that at least 4,000 Palestinian workers from Gaza are currently detained by Israeli authorities in undisclosed locations, deprived of their right to legal representation and their families left in anguish.

The Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions has received numerous distress calls from concerned family members who have lost contact with their loved ones. Reports suggest that some workers have been detained and interrogated, while others have been expelled from their workplaces and transferred to the West Bank without any provisions or shelter. The treatment endured by these workers is inhumane and calls for urgent international attention.

Israeli human rights organizations, including Gisha, have filed petitions requesting further information about the condition and location of the detained Palestinian workers, as their detention may be deemed unlawful.

The dire situation faced by Palestinian workers is indicative of the wider challenges Palestinians encounter on a daily basis. Their economic hardships, insecurity, and exploitation underscore the urgent need to address the ongoing siege on Gaza and end the occupation. The plight of these workers sheds light on the deeper humanitarian crisis experienced by Palestinians and the pressing necessity for a resolution that upholds justice and equality for all.