Amman, Jan 7 (Petra) - The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced on Wednesday that a severe financial crisis has forced it this week to lay off hundreds of its staff linked to Gaza, noting that they had previously left the enclave.

A spokesperson for the agency told Agence France-Presse in an email message, "On Tuesday, 571 local UNRWA staff members, who are currently outside Gaza, were informed that their employment had been terminated with immediate effect." //Petra// AF