Gaza's economy, labor market 'collapsed' due to Israeli war, says Turkish minister

GENEVA

The Turkish labor minister on Thursday warned that Gaza's economy and labor market have "collapsed" due to the ongoing hostilities by Israel in the besieged strip.

Vedat Isikhan's remarks came during his address to a special sitting on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories that took place in Geneva as part of 112th International Labor Conference.

"Gaza's economy and labor market have collapsed with wide spread unemployment and destruction of infrastructure," Isikhan said, calling the ongoing war "the most brutal massacre in human history."

He lamented the "inaction" of the international community, describing it as a "clear indication of the failure of the international system."

"It will be impossible to speak of human rights, rights of labor and humanity unless Israel is stopped," he said and urged labor and international organizations to make a forceful call for immediate cease-fire and humanitarian aid.

The minister called on the International Labor Organization and all nations to take immediate action, end the human tragedy, and stand with the people of Palestine.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 36,600 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, the vast majority being women and children, and over 83,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Nearly eight months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.