Details have emerged about the accusations made by Israel against the staff of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees allegedly involved in the deadly October 7 Hamas attack, according to media reports.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has fired 12 workers after this issue came to the forefront of the Gaza war. One UNRWA school counselor from Khan Younis in southern Gaza is “accused of working with his son to abduct a woman from Israel,” The New York Times reported, citing a dossier provided to the US government.
“A social worker from Nuseirat, in central Gaza, is accused of helping to bring the body of a dead Israeli soldier to Gaza, as well as distributing ammunition and coordinating vehicles on the day of the attack,” the report said. A third employee is described as taking part in the killing at “a kibbutz where 97 people died” on October 7, according to NYT.
The US dossier details the names, details and positions of the 12 people, and contends that 10 of the workers in question are members of Hamas while one belongs to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The report said Israel’s intelligence is based on tracking the phones of six of the people, monitoring phone calls by others who allegedly discussed their involvement in the unprecedented attack, and text messages received by three others, including one ordering him to bring RPGs stored at his home.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees employs thousands of staffers and provides vital aid and services to millions of people across the Middle East. In Gaza, it has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians during the Israel-Hamas war. Israel has long accused the agency of tolerating or even collaborating with Hamas and of perpetuating the Palestinian refugee crisis. The Israeli government has accused Hamas and other militant groups of siphoning off aid and using UN facilities for military purposes.
Read More: ‘I’m Shocked’: Donors Suspend Funding to UN Agency in Gaza Amid Alleged Links to Hamas Attack
UNRWA denies those allegations and says it took swift action against the employees accused of taking part in the attack. The United States and eight other Western nations that together provided more than half of UNRWA’s budget in 2022 suspended their funding to the agency. The head of the UN agency on Saturday said that decision will jeopardise its lifesaving programmes, urging them to reconsider. It was “shocking” to see the suspension of funds in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, said in a statement.
“It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and political crises in the region.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, or 87% of the population, rely on UNRWA services that would be scaled back as soon as February if the money is not restored.
(With agency inputs)
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