PCBS: Quarter of Palestinians live below poverty line

One out of four Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip was living below poverty line in 2010, Sunday said the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). This was divided into 18.3% in the West Bank and 38.0% in Gaza Strip.

The poverty line for a household of two adults and three children was set in 2010 at $609.

The 2010 rate is similar to the corresponding rate of nearly 26.2% in 2009 (19.4% in the West Bank and 38.3% in Gaza Strip) that was based on a household composed of two adults and four children.

The PCBS has changed the poverty rate calculation for 2010 based on a household of two adults and three children.

Similarly, about 14.1% of individuals were living below the deep poverty line in 2010 (8.8% in the West Bank and 23.0% in Gaza Strip), compared with 13.7% in 2009 (9.1% in the West Bank and 21.9% in Gaza Strip).

The deep poverty line for a household of two adults and three children stood at near $478.

Social assistance for households reduced poverty among individuals by 16.8% in the Palestinian Territory in 2010, ( 10.7% in West Bank and 21.2% in Gaza Strip).

In 2009, assistance for households reduced poverty among individuals by 17.9% in the Palestinian Territory, (12.6% in West Bank and 22.1% in Gaza Strip).

Poor households in the Gaza Strip are poorer than the poor households in the West Bank, according to the PCBS.