Israeli intelligence documents allege that more than a dozen UN agency personnel were involved in the October 7 attack on Israel.
Israeli intelligence documents that led several countries to cut funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) state that some of its staff were abducted and killed during the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. There are suspicions that he took part in the murder.
Reuters reported that Israeli documents allege that around 190 UNRWA employees, including teachers, were also members of Hamas and Islamic jihadists.
Palestinian officials accused Israel of falsifying information to damage UNRWA. The United Nations fired nine of the accused workers, condemned the “abhorrent and alleged conduct” and launched an investigation into the allegations.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has met with the world body's head of internal investigations to ensure that investigations into the allegations are “carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible,” a UN spokesperson said on Monday.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,139 people and taking 240 prisoners, according to Israeli statistics.
Israel responded to the attack with devastating artillery bombardment, siege, and ground invasion of Gaza. According to the Palestinian Authority, Israel's attack on Gaza has killed more than 26,600 people and reduced vast swaths of the territory to rubble.
The Israeli document listed 12 people, their job descriptions and photographs, for their alleged roles in the October 7 attack. The findings detailed in this document could not be independently confirmed.
Of the 12 workers, nine were teachers and one was a social worker, according to documents. Seven of the employees were charged with entering Israel on October 7. One of the men was charged with participating in the kidnapping, another with aiding and abetting the kidnapping of the dead soldier's body, and the remaining three with participating in the attack.
One was suspected of arming himself with an anti-tank missile the night before the attack, while the other took a photo of a female hostage, documents said. Ten are listed as having ties to Hamas and one as having ties to the Islamic Jihad militant group.
Two of the 12 people died, according to the document. The United Nations previously announced that one person had yet to be identified.
Suspension of funds
The accusations against UNRWA officials led several donor countries to freeze funding to the agency.
UNRWA provides critical day-to-day assistance to 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who live in a devastating humanitarian disaster due to Israeli military attacks. The agency said on Monday that it would not be able to continue operations in Gaza and the entire region beyond the end of February unless funding is restored.
More than 10 countries, including major donors the United States, Britain and Germany, have suspended funding to the agency.
Some donor countries have indicated they will continue to provide funding to UNRWA, while others are urging donors to resume cooperation. Saudi Arabia called on the agency's supporters to “play their role in supporting the humanitarian mission to Palestinian refugees.” Lebanon called the funding suspension a “historic mistake” and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said UNRWA should not be punished for allegations against individual staff. Stated.
UNRWA Director Philippe Lazzarini said since the war began, most Palestinians in the Gaza Strip had become dependent on the agency's programs for “pure survival”, including food and shelter.
long-standing tension
The allegations sparked long-standing tensions between Israel and UNRWA. Israel claims Hamas uses the agency's facilities to store weapons and launch attacks. UNRWA says it does not knowingly condone such behavior and has internal safeguards in place to prevent abuse and discipline any wrongdoing.
Even before the latest allegations came to light, Lazzarini announced he was ordering an external review of the agency's operations and security measures.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz canceled Wednesday's meeting between Israeli officials and Lazzarini and said he had called on the UNRWA chief to resign.