RAMALLAH, November 21, 2016 (WAFA) – Around 1000 employees working at UNRWA’s headquarter in Gaza Monday started a general strike to protest what they described as the agency’s lack of response to their demands.

Suheil el-Hindi, chairman of the Teachers Union of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said in a press release that the employees went on a strike because of the administration’s disregard of the workers’ rights.

The strike is expected to expand on Tuesday to include all UNRWA offices in the northern Gaza Strip and be followed with a demonstration.

Hindi said that any talks with the UNRWA administration are currently put on hold and the demonstrations will continue until workers’ demands are met.

The strike came after the West Bank and Gaza joint committee decided to escalate measures after UNRWA failed to solve many issues relating to finances, cuts and services provided to Palestinians in the refugee camps, said secretary of the Federation of UNRWA Employees Yousef Hamdouna.

He explained that the strike will be ed to administrative offices on the first day, but will include other UNRWA services such as health and education in the northern and central Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

The strike, said Hamdouna, is the federation’s response to the cuts in services provided by UNRWA to its employees, including its refusal to hire new employees even though around 450 new teachers are needed to fill positions in several schools.

M.H./M.A.