On the International Day for the Elimination of Abuse of Older Persons: Palestinian Older Persons Between the Vulnerabilities of Age and the Harsh Realities of War
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Abuse of Older Persons, observed annually on 15 June, the Ministry of Social Development reaffirms its steadfast commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of older persons. This commitment is grounded in a comprehensive national and international legal framework, foremost among them the amended Palestinian Basic Law of 2003, which guarantees social protection for all citizens; the Palestinian Draft Law on Older Persons No. (2) of 1999, which establishes their rights to care, protection, and participation; the United Nations Principles for Older Persons adopted in 1991; and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002), which calls upon states to ensure the independence, participation, dignity, care, and self-fulfillment of older persons.
Older persons constitute a significant demographic group in Palestine. Their number is estimated at approximately 336,000 persons aged 60 years and above, representing 6% of the total population, including around 228,000 in the West Bank and 108,000 in the Gaza Strip. Available data indicate that 92% of older men are married, while widowhood affects 42% of older women, highlighting a heightened level of social vulnerability that requires targeted interventions.
While abuse of older persons is traditionally defined as physical, psychological, economic abuse, or neglect, the Palestinian context reveals an additional dimension not commonly addressed in international literature: structural abuse resulting from war. When an older person is deprived of life-sustaining medication due to the collapse of the healthcare system, forced to flee three times in a single week while losing a walking aid or medical device, or denied adequate access to food because an entire area is cut off from supplies, this constitutes systematic abuse. Such practices are in direct violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which obligates the protection of civilians and vulnerable populations during armed conflict, and are inconsistent with relevant international human rights commitments concerning the protection of older persons.
In the Gaza Strip, approximately 108,000 older persons have been living under catastrophic conditions after more than 32 months of war. More than 70% suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Reports indicate that 80% urgently require medicines and medical equipment that remain inaccessible due to the destruction of the healthcare system. With regard to disability, data show that 48% of older persons in Palestine experience at least one functional difficulty, while 32% of those aged 75 years and above live with severe disabilities or complete functional limitations. The World Health Organization has reported more than 42,000 new disability cases in Gaza since the onset of the war, while over 83% of persons with disabilities have lost or seen damage to their assistive devices. These challenges are compounded by extreme weather conditions, including harsh winter cold and intense summer heat, which disproportionately affect older persons in the absence of adequate shelter and heating.
In the West Bank, older persons continue to face escalating violations that directly affect their daily lives. Restrictions on movement impede access to regular healthcare services for those dependent on ongoing medical care. At the same time, increasing armed settler violence poses a direct threat to older persons living in rural and marginalized communities, particularly those living alone. The situation is even more severe for widowed older women who head their households while lacking sufficient income and protection mechanisms.
In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Social Development continues to provide a comprehensive package of services. The Ministry operates “Beit Al-Ajdad” (House of Grandparents) in Jericho, the only government-run residential care center for older persons in Palestine, which provides residential care for approximately 100 older persons annually. Through the service-purchasing mechanism, the Ministry also funds accommodation for an additional 150 older persons in five accredited institutions. Furthermore, 12 specialized social counselors follow up on the conditions of more than 1,200 older persons residing in care institutions. In cooperation with partners, the Ministry provides daytime care services to 600 older persons, awareness-raising services to 700 older persons, psychosocial support services to 300 older persons, individual and group counseling to 450 older persons, assistive and medical devices to 350 older persons, and home-based care services to 400 older persons. In coordination with the Ministry of Health, approximately 70,000 older men and women benefit from free government health insurance. During 2026, thousands of older persons also benefited from winterization assistance, food aid, in-kind support, and cash assistance provided through emergency response programs implemented in partnership with international organizations.
The Ministry’s work is guided by the National Strategy for Older Persons (2021–2026), developed in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The strategy is based on five key principles: independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment, and dignity. In addition, the Ministry, in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO), completed a study on activating Article 121 of the Public Pension Law, which aims to establish a fixed social allowance for poor older persons with no source of income. The Ministry is also working with the Ministry of Local Government to establish day clubs for older persons in villages and towns to promote social participation, encourage active ageing, reduce isolation and social withdrawal, and improve their psychological, health, and social well-being.
The Ministry calls upon all members of society, as well as public institutions, civil society organizations, and the media, to strengthen a culture of respect for older persons and appreciation of their contributions, and to report any cases of abuse or neglect through the Ministry’s toll-free hotline (189) or through its directorates across all governorates.
The Ministry also calls on the international community and humanitarian and human rights organizations to translate international commitments into immediate action by advocating for safe humanitarian corridors that ensure unhindered access to medicines, food, and care services for older persons in Gaza, and by funding specialized care programs commensurate with the scale of the humanitarian crisis affecting older Palestinians.
On this occasion, the Ministry of Social Development renews its commitment to advancing the rights of older persons and improving their quality of life. It further calls for Palestinian older persons to be prioritized in international humanitarian responses, emphasizing that the challenges they face today are not merely the result of age-related vulnerability, but rather the direct consequence of systematic violations that undermine the most fundamental principles of humanity.
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