GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Thousands of Gazans applied Wednesday for work permits for Israel, which has been reopening its gates to laborers from the Palestinian enclave following the latest war in May.
In Jabalia, a refugee camp in northern Gaza, a crowd of men holding their identity papers lined up hoping to obtain a permit to work in Israel, AFP journalists said.
“There is no work in the Gaza Strip,” said Fathi Abu Nur, a 40-year-old unemployed man.
“Yesterday I heard that workers are registering to get permits (for Israel),” he said.
“I hope things will get better because the current situation is really difficult,” the father of five said.
The total number of permits being granted by Israel to Palestinian laborers in Gaza is 7,000, an Israeli security official told AFP, up from 5,000 workers and traders allowed in August.
In May, Israel and Hamas reached a truce following 11 days of the deadliest fighting in years.
Israel has since been easing restrictions on the Palestinian enclave, including reopening crossings, expanding the fishing zone and permitting the entry of certain goods.
Many Palestinians want to work in Israel, where wages are higher than in Gaza.
The impoverished territory of two million inhabitants with an unemployment rate of about 50 percent has been blockaded by Israel for nearly 15 years.
Palestinian economic analyst Omar Shaaban said Israeli work permits could help alleviate “the unemployment crisis and poverty” within the territory, ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas.
According to Shaaban, Gaza’s income would increase by three million dollars per day ($3 million), if Israel granted 20,000 work permits.
Meanwhile, the increase in permits was “the result of a political process, including discussions in Cairo between the Hamas movement and Egyptian officials,” a Palestinian official at the chamber of commerce said on condition of anonymity.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has put forth a plan to improve living conditions in Gaza in exchange for a Hamas commitment to “long-term quiet.”
Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since 2008.
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Thousands of Gazans apply for Israeli work permits
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Thousands of Gazans apply for Israeli work permits
- In Jabalia, a crowd of men holding their identity papers lined up hoping to obtain a permit to work in Israel, AFP journalists said
- The total number of permits being granted by Israel to Palestinian laborers in Gaza is 7,000
New Riyadh Air route to boost Dubai airport’s growth projection
- World’s busiest travel hub adding more routes to Saudi Arabia
- Dubai Airports forecasts 99.5 million passengers in 2026
DUBAI: Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest travel hub, is expected to handle close to 100 million passengers this year, its operator said on Wednesday, building on a record performance in 2025.
Dubai Airports forecasts 99.5 million passengers in 2026, it said in a statement, as demand strengthens across several major markets.
DXB handled 95.2 million passengers last year, up 3.1 percent from 2024. India, Saudi Arabia and Britain remained among its largest markets, while China, Egypt and Italy recorded double-digit growth.
“We’ve had some pretty good growing markets … and those, I think, are the markets where there’s going to be considerable potential,” Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said in an interview, mentioning countries including China and Russia.
“We’re adding more routes to Saudi Arabia,” he said, adding that Riyadh Air, which is owned by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund and commenced operations last year, will start operating a route to and from DXB “over the next few months.”
Dubai, home to the world’s tallest tower and palm-shaped islands, is the Middle East’s biggest tourism and trade hub. It is also a key connecting point for flights between Europe and Asia, and last year welcomed 19.6 million international overnight visitors, according to government data.
DXB had its busiest day, month, quarter and year on record in 2025, operating “at the edge of physical capacity,” Dubai Airports said.
Griffiths said investment to roll out advanced hand baggage screening machines was helping to smooth the flow of traffic.
To meet rising demand and a fast-growing population, the emirate has announced a major $35 billion expansion at its second airport, Al Maktoum International, also operated by Dubai Airports.
That airport reported 30 percent growth in flights over the last year and handled 1.4 million passengers.
The expansion is designed to allow it to handle 150 million passengers per year over the next decade, before reaching an annual capacity of 260 million passengers when complete.
Dubai Airports forecasts 99.5 million passengers in 2026, it said in a statement, as demand strengthens across several major markets.
DXB handled 95.2 million passengers last year, up 3.1 percent from 2024. India, Saudi Arabia and Britain remained among its largest markets, while China, Egypt and Italy recorded double-digit growth.
“We’ve had some pretty good growing markets … and those, I think, are the markets where there’s going to be considerable potential,” Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said in an interview, mentioning countries including China and Russia.
“We’re adding more routes to Saudi Arabia,” he said, adding that Riyadh Air, which is owned by the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund and commenced operations last year, will start operating a route to and from DXB “over the next few months.”
Dubai, home to the world’s tallest tower and palm-shaped islands, is the Middle East’s biggest tourism and trade hub. It is also a key connecting point for flights between Europe and Asia, and last year welcomed 19.6 million international overnight visitors, according to government data.
DXB had its busiest day, month, quarter and year on record in 2025, operating “at the edge of physical capacity,” Dubai Airports said.
Griffiths said investment to roll out advanced hand baggage screening machines was helping to smooth the flow of traffic.
To meet rising demand and a fast-growing population, the emirate has announced a major $35 billion expansion at its second airport, Al Maktoum International, also operated by Dubai Airports.
That airport reported 30 percent growth in flights over the last year and handled 1.4 million passengers.
The expansion is designed to allow it to handle 150 million passengers per year over the next decade, before reaching an annual capacity of 260 million passengers when complete.
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