The Martyrdom of 40 Palestinian Workers and More Than 30,000 Arrests Recorded Over Two Years

SadaNews: The Secretary-General of the General Union of Palestinian Workers, Shaher Saad, stated that Israeli occupation forces have caused the martyrdom of 40 Palestinian workers since the onset of the aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, while more than 30,000 cases of arrests have been recorded against Palestinian workers employed within the 1948 territories.

Saad explained in a press statement today, Thursday, that the occupation targets workers daily during their commutes to and from work, and in some cases, while they are performing their tasks, employing live ammunition or brutal means of violence during arrests or interrogations, which has led to the martyrdom of dozens.

He added that arrests occur through chasing workers at the separation wall and the racist expansion, or raiding their sleeping places in the workshops and accommodations designated for them by Israeli employers, in addition to repeated incursions into their workplaces.

Saad noted that the methods of arrest are characterized by brutality, as workers face gunfire, severe beatings, or false accusations against them. Many of them are forced, after questioning, to sign pledges not to return to work within the 1948 territories, while others are held for periods of up to four months, incurring financial penalties that may exceed 10,000 shekels, in addition to financial fines for their release.

He affirmed that these violations are documented through testimonies from workers who have faced arrest and abuse, pointing out that the lack of alternatives in the Palestinian labor market drives thousands to risk their lives to secure a livelihood for their families.

Saad called on the International Labor Organization, the International Trade Union Confederation, and all global labor unions to urgently act to pressure the occupation government to protect Palestinian workers from the repressive practices they face, asserting that workers are only seeking a dignified livelihood.