GAZA CITY - Child labour has nearly doubled in the Gaza Strip since Israel closed the territory in February, forcing thousands of pupils to leave school to help support their families, a Palestinian expert said yesterday. "Before the closure, 6,000 to 7,000 children between the ages of eight and 15 were working in the Gaza Strip. Now the figure is 10,000 to 11,000," said Mr Fadel Abu Hein, adviser to Unicef.