Immediate response to the urgent MHPSS needs of Gazan workers expelled to the West Bank

REALITY

Thousands of workers from Gaza have been expelled from Israel into WB due to the war and are incapable of returning to their homes. They faced threats, arrests, and forced relocation by Israelis. They are currently residing in shelters all over the West Bank. They reached the shelters in a deeply distressed psychological condition, a result of the violence they encountered while traveling to the West Bank and their intense fear and anxiety regarding their families in Gaza.

18,500 permits for Gazan workers.

Gazan Workers traveled through the Erez crossing, where Israel allowed them to carry only a small bag without electronics or toiletries. They typically spent a week or two at a time in the country and returned home on weekends.

Palestinian workers in Israel must pass stringent security tests and are usually hired to do jobs such as agriculture, construction, and service work.

The East Jerusalem YMCA's Rehabilitation Program leads in multiple Governorates the UN protection cluster MHPSS working groups formulated by local and international organizations. Our field teams are responsible for leading and coordinating all MHPSS efforts conducted during emergencies and upon the break of the war in Gaza, the emergency response included responding to the urgent MHPSS needs of the expelled Gazan workers in the three districts.

The East Jerusalem YMCA's Rehabilitation Program team has developed methodologies, tools, and techniques aimed at stabilizing, emotional regulations and resource installation, besides debriefing and practicing structured activities that help to maintain here-and-now, grounding, and relaxation exercises to help them enhance their resources and enable them to better cope with the current situation.

Challenges

Gazan Workers are being subject to arrest by the Israeli army during night raids on shelters in different governorates which is creating a sense of insecurity among them, causing constant worry about their own situation.

The workers spend most of their time on their phones trying to reach their families. Some of them receive bad news about the loss of their family members which impacts the stability of their mental health and engagement in the provided MHPSS services.

Several workers are hosted in shelters that our counselors cannot physically reach.

Intervention

Our primary interventions for the Gazan workers included Psychological First Aid, psychosocial group counseling sessions, and individual counseling sessions, particularly for those requiring in-depth counseling, such as those who lost family members during the war. In addition, the interventions include supportive discharge activities for workers that help reduce free time.

2025

PSYCHOLOGICAL FIIRST AID

10

GROUP COUNSELING FOR 147 GAZAN WORKER

9

INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING

2

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES for 51 GAZAN WORKER

Alongside our support for Gazan workers, our field teams in Hebron, Ramallah, and Nablus are providing support to parents especially mothers with their children from Gaza who had traveled to the West Bank for medical treatment before the onset of the war. Due to the current situation, they are unable to return home, and they are grappling with feelings of anxiety, fear, and distress.

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(C) The East Jerusalem YMCA, 2023