The Cumulative Economic Cost of Occupation for the Palestinian People (2000 – 2024) and the Long Road to Recovery

This study extends UNCTAD's research on the economics of occupation, presenting new evidence on its severe socioeconomic consequences in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Building on studies and reports published in 2024 and 2025. The analysis highlights the effects of military operations, intensified restrictions, prolonged closures, and related measures. The paper is structured in four parts, providing a comprehensive assessment of the crisis and its implications for development: i. An assessment of the immediate economic impact of the escalation from October 2023. ii. An analysis of the economic outlook for the Occupied Palestinian Territory in 2025. iii. An estimate of the cumulative economic cost of the occupation from 2000 to 2024, resulting from Israeli military operations, restrictions, closures, and associated policies. iv. An examination of prospects and prerequisites for economic recovery.