H.E. Dr. Ola Awad, President of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)

Highlights the conditions of the Palestinian people through statistical figures and findings, on the occasion of World Refugee Day, 20/06/2024

More than 136 Thousand Martyrs since the Nakba, 1948

The number of Palestinian and Arab martyrs killed since the Nakba in 1948 and until this day (inside and outside Palestine) reached more than 136 thousand martyrs. Moreover, the number of martyrs killed in Al-Aqsa Intifada on September 29^th, 2000 until April 30^th, 2024 was about 46,500. The number of martyrs in Palestine since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression against Gaza Strip on October 7^th, 2023 until May 13^th, 2024 reached more than 37,500 martyrs; more than 15,162 children and more than 10,018 women, in addition to more than 147 journalists were martyred and more than 7,000 missing citizens, most of whom were women and children, according to the records of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza Strip. While the number of martyrs reached 532 martyrs in the West Bank since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7^th, 2023.  Approximately 2 million citizens were displaced far from their places of residence in Gaza Strip.

More than 6 Million Registered Refugees with UNRWA in Palestine and Diaspora

UNRWA records indicated that the number of registered Palestinian refugees in January 2022 amounted up to about 5.9 million;  about 2.5 million of them are in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where they constitute more than 40% of the Palestinians in the world (about 14.6 million). Palestinian refugees in the West Bank who are registered with UNRWA as in 2022 accounted up to 15% of the total refugees registered with UNRWA against 27% in Gaza Strip. At the level of the Arab countries, the percentage of Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA in Jordan, amounted up to about 40% of the total Palestinian refugees while the percentage of Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA in Lebanon and Syria reached about 8% and 10%, respectively. These estimates represent the minimum number of Palestinian refugees, taking into account that they are unregistered refugees, as this number does not include those Palestinians who were displaced after 1949 until the eve of the war of June 1967, “according to UNRWA’s definition.” It also does not include Palestinians who left or were deported in 1967 on the grounds of war and those who were not refugees in the first place.

Percentage Distribution of Palestinian Refugees by Country of Residence in January 2022

Source: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

Number of Official Palestinian Refugee Camps as Recognized by UNRWA by

Country of Residence

Source: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

About 66% of the Total Population in Gaza Strip are Refugees

The percentage of the population of refugees in the State of Palestine in 2017 reached about 42.2% of the total Palestinian population residing in the State of Palestine, and data indicated that 26.3% of the population in the West Bank are refugees, while the percentage of refugees in Gaza Strip is 66.1%.

Percentage of Refugees in the State of Palestine by Region, 2017

Source: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2018. Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017:       Census Final Results - Summary. 2017. Ramallah - Palestine.

The Palestinian Refugees and Non-refugees in the State of Palestine are Living in Difficult Conditions:

It is noted that there were no significant differences between the demographic and social characteristics of the Palestinian refugees and non-refugees at the regional level. Illiteracy rate among Palestinian refugees in the West Bank reached 1.9%, while it reached 2.3% among non-refugees. While it reached 1.7% among refugees  in Gaza Strip compared to 2.0% for non-refugees there.

Moreover, unemployment rates in 2022 reached 47% among refugees and 42% among non-refugees in Gaza Strip, compared to 14% and 13%, respectively in the West Bank.

Illiteracy Rate Among Individuals (15 years and above) and Percentage of Individuals

 (18 years and above) who Obtained a Bachelor's Degree or Higher by

 Region and Refugee Status, 2022

 Source: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2024. Labor Force Survey Database, 2022. Ramallah - Palestine.

Due to the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression against Gaza Strip since October 7^th, 2023, where unemployment rates reached unpreceded levels (estimates show that unemployment rates increased to 75% in the 4^th quarter of 2023, compared to 46% in the 3^rd quarter of the same year), which means the loss of at least 200,000 jobs during the first three months of the Israeli occupation aggression.

Accordingly, the number of unemployed persons increased to reach 317 thousand in the 4^th quarter of 2023 compared to about 129 thousand in the 3^rd quarter of the same year, i.e. prior to the Israeli occupation aggression. In addition, unemployment rates among labour force participants in the West Bank increased to about 32% in the 4^th quarter of 2023 compared to 13% in the 3^rd quarter of the same year.

Due to the continuous bombardment with intense airstrikes on Gaza Strip and the toll of martyrs among students and teachers, as well as the destruction of infrastructure of a significant number of schools, the educational process has been disrupted in Gaza Strip since the beginning of the aggression, depriving approximately 620,000 students of their right to school education for the scholastic year 2023/2024. The number of martyrs among enrolled students in schools in Palestine reached 6,050 martyrs; 5,994 martyrs in Gaza Strip and 56 martyrs in the West Bank. Furthermore, the number of injured students enrolled in schools in Palestine reached 10,219 injured students (9,890 in Gaza Strip and 329 in the West Bank). As for the number of detained students enrolled in schools, it reached 105 students, all of them are from the West Bank.