On Thursday, over 230 United Nations schools in the Gaza Strip were closed, leaving more than 220,000 students away from their desks. It came as UN employees at the schools went on strike to protest the suspension of their chairman over alleged political activities linked with Hamas. The UN Relief and Works Agency, which assists Gaza refugees, suspended union chairman Suhail al-Hindi from his job as a teacher for three months this week, citing unspecified political activities. The UN mission in Gaza already struggles mightily as the Israeli economic blockade on the small Palestinian territory continues, isolating some 1.5 million people from necessary foodstuffs and living materials. It is the most recent battle with schools and clinics in Gaza, and Hamas, the Islamic group that runs the territory. School union officials say the strike could be extended to UN clinics if al-Hindi is not reinstated soon. BM