Gaza staff at UN agency for Palestinian refugees strike over job cuts

Staff at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees went on strike in the Gaza Strip on Monday to protest against job losses and US funding cuts. The one-day strike closed more than 250 UNRWA schools in Gaza, as well as medical centers and food aid distribution points, AFP reported. The US has traditionally been UNRWA’s largest funder, providing around $350 million a year. President Donald Trump has cut all support, sparking a funding crisis. More than 250 jobs have been cut in Gaza and the West Bank so far, while hundreds of full-time roles have become part-time. The refugee agency’s labor union is demanding that the job cuts be reversed and its leaders say the strike could be the first of a number of measures.