In precautionary move, UN aid agency relocates some staff from Gaza

Citing the security situation in the Gaza Strip in the wake of Israeli military action, the United Nations agency aiding Palestinian refugees said today it was taking a number of precautionary measures to allow it to continue its work.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said in a statement that it had decided to temporarily relocate 23 international staff from Gaza to Jordan. The relocated staff could continue their work from the Agency's Jerusalem field office or the UNRWA headquarters in Amman.

"All senior staff, 25 internationals in total, are staying in Gaza and the Agency has full communication and support systems in place to enable it to function normally and maintain a continuity of services for the refugees it serves," the statement said.

UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip were closed today at the request of parents who wished to keep their children at home.