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has been dubbed the 'Khansa of Palestine' in her community, a nod to the legendary Arab poet who endured the loss of her brothers. Like Al-Khansa, Abu Hamid has experienced deep personal losses, with two sons killed by Israeli gunfire and three others imprisoned in Israeli jails, including one who died of cancer while behind bars.

Living with her daughter in a small home in the Jalazone refugee camp in the northeast of Ramallah, the mother of six has been for years relying on the monthly stipends paid by the Palestinian Authority (PA) to support her following her sons’ deaths and imprisonments.

"I live off the payments of my sons,” said the 74-year-old. “When the occupation forces destroyed my home multiple times, I was able to rebuild it with these stipends. This money covers my financial needs," Abu Hamid said.

But on February 10, under US and Israeli pressure, the PA ended its system of monthly payments to families of those killed by Israel or held in Israeli prisons, which had long been a financial lifeline for families like hers. The decision has cast a shadow over the hope that these families once placed in the PA’s support.

The PA announced that the new policy will integrate families receiving these payments into the PA’s . Payments will be determined by socio-economic factors such as income, family size, assets, and expenditures.Ěý

“I and others realise that the PA’s decision to cut salaries is not the right one,” she stated, with fragile hope.

As these take effect, the PA faces not just a financial crisis but a political one. With growing dissatisfaction and frustration, the authority’s decision to yield to foreign pressure may spark a wider social and political rift that could lead to further instability.

Political pressure behind the cuts

According to 2016 figures, the PA was reportedly distributing to approximately 35,000 families of Palestinians killed or wounded by Israeli forces, with a budget of $170 million. Each family of a Palestinian killed by Israel reportedly received the equivalent of $350, with additional payments for spouses and children.Ěý

The decision to cut the payments follows a year of intense international pressure on the PA. Israel and its allies have long criticised the PA for the payments to prisoners and martyrs, labeling them as incentives for terrorism. However, countless human rights organisations have condemned the arbitrary arrest of Palestinians, without clear evidence of misconduct, or charges.

In a bid to block these payments, the Israeli government has tax customs and rebates owed to the PA to “offset” them. While the PA previously found discreet ways to undermine attempts to curb the payments, its current financial challenges, coupled with the ongoing war and geopolitical pressure, have pushed the authority to make these concessions, according to analysts.

“Israel has begun to exploit new avenues to stop the payments, such as lawsuits from the families of Israeli dead, which will further shrink the authority’s budget,” explained political analyst Imad Abu Awad.Ěý

Abu Awad fears that the decision may lead to a deepened divide between the PA and Palestinian families, many of whom feel abandoned by their leadership.Ěý

"The majority of the Palestinian population today stands in opposition to the authority’s decision. There is no real popular support, only a growing sense of boycott,” he said.

Moreover, the cuts bring another level of emotional strain to many families. Prisoners and martyrs are revered in Palestinian society as symbols of resistance against Israeli occupation, with families of prisoners, in particular, seen as bearing the collective weight of this resistance.

“This decision will push families to turn to social institutions for support, undermining the national value of the prisoner and martyr,” Abu Awad said, explaining that this shift may deepen the frustration and sense of abandonment felt by families, who see their loved ones’ sacrifices being forgotten as the political situation grows more unstable.Ěý

He warned: “The PA is blind to the potential for this frustration to escalate into something much more dangerous.”

Compounding struggle

While the PA may have made this decision out of political pragmatism to manage the pressure, the effects on Palestinian families are profound.Ěý

The war in Gaza and Israel’s in the West Bank have placed immense strain on Palestinians, with thousands killed or displaced. The has also taken a major hit, with a reported 28% decline and a rise in the unemployment rate to 51%.

In response to the growing crisis, the PA has been struggling to manage its budget and meet the need to provide basic services for its population.

“Every day is a new struggle, between hope and bitter reality,” said Fakhriya Badr, a mother of three whose husband, Bahij Badr, is serving 18 life sentences. “I am proud of my children, but my heart breaks when I remember that their father is far away, fighting behind bars.”

With the PA cutting the monthly payments, Badr’s family is now unable to make ends meet. Despite working as a public school teacher for more than 20 years, her salary isn’t enough to care for her three children amid .

While these cuts have been framed as necessary for the PA’s survival amid financial strain, they come at a heavy cost to families like Abu Hamid’s and Badr’s. Despite the hardship, the two women remain hopeful.

“I believe the payments will never truly stop. We’ve always received those stipends, even if late,” said Abu Hamid.

"I raised my children to accept their circumstances and not to surrender, despite all the challenges we face," said Badr. “Life waits for no one, and we must fight for a better future for our children.”

Aseel Mafarjeh is a West Bank-focused journalist, focusing on stories that speak of the challenges and creativity of youth in Palestine

This piece is published in collaboration with