'Are we here to die?': Gazans burn tires in protest over price rise

Gazans on Wednesday burned tires to protest against rising prices in Rafah amid an imminent threat of an expanded military operation by Israel.

“Did they bring us from Gaza [City] to here to provide us with food and drink, or to kill us?” one man says to AFP. It is however unclear whether he referred to Hamas which controls the enclave or to Israel.

“I do not see any government official here,” he added.

The cost of living in Gaza has skyrocketed as supplies dry up in the war-torn region.

Meanwhile, the World Bank has said that the Gazan economy shrank by more than 80 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2023 owing to the war between Israel and Hamas.

The ongoing conflict has caused widespread damage and destruction across Gaza, and caused a “massive loss of life,” the bank said in a statement.

Beyond the devastating human impact, “Almost all economic activity in Gaza has ground to a halt,” the bank said.

“Since the start of the conflict, the Palestinian economy experienced one of largest shocks recorded in recent economic history,” it added.

The World Bank pointed to preliminary estimates from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), which found that Gaza’s gross domestic product (GDP) has “plummeted by more than 80%” – from around $670 million in the third quarter to just $90 million in the fourth quarter.

This 80 per cent quarterly decline amounts to an annual drop of 24 per cent, the bank continued, adding that “the observed level of fixed assets damage and destruction is catastrophic.”

“Nearly every resident of Gaza will live in poverty, at least in the short term,” it said.

Amid this, the bank has announced a grant worth $30 million to help ensure the continuity of crucial education for children.”

“This grant will contribute to the education sector to help ensure that learners don’t miss out on essential education,” it said in a statement.

With inputs from AFP