![Palestinians, employed by the Palestinian Authority wait to receive their salaries from an ATM, outside a Bank in Gaza on 10 May 2017 [Mohammed Asad/Apaimages]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017_5-10-Palestinians-employed-by-the-Palestinian-Authority-wait-to-receive-their-salaries-100517_MO_00-8.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Hundreds of Palestinian civil servant in the besieged Gaza Strip demonstrated yesterday demanding the government pay the outstanding balances of their wages and to reject the punitive measures imposed by the Palestinian Authority on the Strip.
“The government of Rami Hamdallah has adopted a piracy policy against the employees’ salaries,” the civil servants’ union said, adding that thousands of civil servants were forced in to early retirement on unfair terms.
The employees stressed that they will continue their protests until their rights are fully achieved, saying “these are our rights granted to us by the constitution and the law, and not a gift from anyone”.
Read: Official: Over 2m Palestinians live tragic situation in Gaza
“We reject all administrative, legal and financial measures taken by the Government of National Accord against the civilian and military personnel in Gaza,” said Arif Abu Jarad, the head of the union representing Palestinian Authority employees in Gaza.
Abu Jarad called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to force the government to pay salaries in full before the holy month of Ramadan and to cancel the punitive measures against Gaza.
The union official reiterated the need not to involve the employees in the political situation, saying they are not responsible for the failure of the reconciliation process.