Gaza unemployment levels 'among worst in world'

[Gerald]

Gaza's unemployment rate was among the world's highest, at 45.2% in late 2010, the UN has found, as Israel's blockade of the territory enters its fifth year.

Real wages meanwhile fell by more than a third, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said.

Its report says that private businesses have been hardest hit by the continuing ban on virtually all exports.

Israel tightened sanctions on Gaza in 2006 after militants captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

The blockade was tightened again a year later when Hamas ousted rival Palestinian organisation Fatah from the territory.

'Boost to Hamas'

UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said of the report in a statement: "These are disturbing trends and the refugees, who make up two-thirds of Gaza's 1.5 million population, were the worst hit."

The unemployment figure, for the second half of 2010, was a slight improvement on the 45.7% jobless rate during the same period in 2009

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13758003


Note: 14 June 2011 Last updated at 13:11 GMT