160,000 GAZANS UNEMPLOYED SINCE ISRAELI ATTACK

Gaza, 22 DHulqo’dah 1435/15 September 2014 (MINA) – Palestinian Minister of Labour Mamoun Abu Shahla says more than 160, 000 people in Gaza unemployed now since the latest Israeli offensive a months ago.

“Israeli aggression left  undestroyed places. It affected the economic, educational, industrial, and agricultural sectors. Even UNRWA facilities were attacked,” he said in a 41th conference on labor in Cairo, on Sunday night, as correspondent of Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) reported.

He continued, the war paralyzed all sectors in the blockaded area such as, health, education, industrial and agricultural facilities, water stations, sanitation, electricity, banking institutions, humanitarian institutions, historic sites, even sacred places.

The minister made clear that local and international committees work on estimating the amount of damages in Gaza and the cost needed for the reconstruction, which is estimated to be $8 billion, as quoted by Al Ray.

He explained that the Palestinian Government works on improving and developing labor sector along with its local partners, even though they face big challenges .

Meanwhile, around 9,600 students would not be able to start the new academic year in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, a United Nations agency has said.

This is particularly so because Palestinian families – whose homes were destroyed during Israel’s latest war on the Gaza Strip have come to seek refuge at three Gaza schools and refuse to leave those schools, UNRWA added late on Saturday, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reported .

UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna told, the three schools are located in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun, noting that the schools would not welcome their students for the new academic year, which will start on Sunday, because displaced Gazans are refusing to leave.(L/K01/R04/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)