Jerusalem, 15 November, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Nearly seven in ten young Arabs living across the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria, and Jerusalem are considering emigrating from the region, according to a new survey by the Gaza-based Social Development Forum.
The youth-led Palestinian non-governmental organization polled 1,272 respondents aged 18 to 29 across the three territories.
Overall, 68.7% reported considering departure—with 35.1% weighing the move seriously and 33.6% occasionally—while only 31.3% expressed no intention of leaving.
Desire to emigrate varies sharply across the region’s distinct geographic zones. In the Gaza Strip, the coastal enclave bordering southwestern Israel and Egypt, 51.9% of young respondents are seriously considering emigrating.
By comparison, 25.9% hold serious intentions to leave the West Bank—the landlocked highlands west of the Jordan River—while only 10.5% reported serious plans to depart Jerusalem.