Pakistan, Jan. 8 -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said on Wednesday that a severe financial crisis has forced it to terminate 571 employees outside Gaza. The affected staff had previously worked in the Gaza Strip but had left the territory following the outbreak of conflict in October 2023.

A UNRWA spokesperson described the layoffs as a "dire" measure and said the terminations were effective immediately. The agency, which has supported Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria for over seven decades, relies heavily on voluntary contributions to fund its operations.

UNRWA faced an unprecedented funding shortfall last year, receiving only around $570 million...