THE headquarters of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) has been bombed by Israeli occupation forces.
On Thursday, the PGFTU confirmed its offices – which consists of a five-story building and is connected to services for workers, including a nursery for 380 children and a bakery – was bombed by Israeli occupation forces.
It is unknown if there were any casualties, yet this is the third time the office has been bombed, with the most recent attack prior to last week’s taking place in 2014.
The situation for workers in Gaza is dire, as more than 31,000 Palestinians are believed to have been killed in Gaza since October 7.
READ MORE: Aid ship with 200 tonnes of food heads for Gaza
The PGFTU estimates that around 19,000 workers inside the Israeli labour market have lost their jobs since October 7, when their permission to work in Israel was revoked.
In the Palestinian labour market, around 80,000 workers have been dismissed from their jobs as the economy has become paralysed as a result of the war.
The trade union body believes three Gazan workers were killed in Israel after being arrested at their workplaces following the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7.
It said the workers were subjected to torture and interrogation by Israeli forces.
They are not the only Gazan workers to have been arrested; at least 4000 Gazan workers have been arrested at their workplaces in Israel since October 7, with around 800 still estimated to be imprisoned.
READ MORE: UNRWA: Scottish minister calls on UK Government to resume funding
The workers placed in detention centres face harsh conditions, with reports of physical assault, starvation and other forms of abuse taking place.
Some hundreds of workers are believed to have been detained in the Anatout Israeli military camp in the West Bank, where they were told they would not be released until the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 were returned.
Shaher Saed, general secretary of the PGFTU, reiterated calls made by the Arab Trade Union Confederation in November for a ceasefire, as well as urging for shipping and docking workers to boycott the loading of “all equipment, weapons and materials destined for the occupation authorities”.
The PGFTU also called for countries which have withdrawn funding to UN relief agency UNRWA – including the UK – to resume payments.
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