UN aid agency fires 12 employees suspected of taking part in October 7 attacks by Hamas
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has launched an investigation into twelve employees suspected of involvement in the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced it had opened an investigation and said Friday it had also severed ties with the suspected staff members.
While UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini did not specify how many employees were involved in the scandal, the US State Department said the number was 12.
“Israeli authorities have provided UNRWA with information regarding the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7,” Lazzarini said.
“To protect the organization’s ability to provide humanitarian assistance, I have made the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these personnel and launch an investigation to determine the truth as quickly as possible,” he added.
UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini (pictured) did not specify how many employees were involved in the scandal
October 7 attack by Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Israelis
“Any UNRWA staff member involved in acts of terrorism will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.
‘UNRWA reiterates in the strongest possible terms its condemnation of the abhorrent attacks of October 7 and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all Israeli hostages and their safe return to their families.
“These shocking allegations come as more than 2 million people in Gaza rely on life-saving assistance provided by the Agency since the war began.
“Anyone who betrays the fundamental values of the United Nations also betrays those we serve in Gaza, across the region and around the world.”
Lazzarini did not reveal the number of employees allegedly involved in the attacks or the nature of their alleged involvement.
Founded in 1949 after the first Arab-Israeli war, UNRWA provides services including education, basic health care and humanitarian aid to Palestinians
The Israeli offensive has destroyed much of the densely populated Gaza Strip and killed more than 26,000 Palestinians.
Smoke rises after Israeli airstrike on Al Bureije refugee camp during Israeli military operation in southern Gaza Strip
A spokesperson for UNRWA would not provide further details about the situation.
Minutes after the statement was issued, the US State Department said it had “temporarily suspended additional funding for UNRWA” while it investigates the allegations.
A statement from the department said Anthony Blinken, the US’s top diplomat, had spoken to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who had been separately briefed on the crisis, to urge a “thorough and swift response.” research’.
The US is one of UNRWA’s largest donors and has sent hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to support the effort.
Last June, the US sent $153.7 million to UNRWA in a single donation, which Lazzarini said at the time was enough to “keep more than 700 schools and 140 health centers open in the coming months.”
The year before, the US was UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing a total of $344 million in 2022.
An unexploded rocket is seen stuck between two houses of Al Nusairat refugee camp during Israeli operations in the southern Gaza Strip
UNRWA, whose largest donors in 2022 were the United States, Germany and the European Union, has repeatedly said its capacity to provide humanitarian aid to people in Gaza is on the brink of collapse
UNRWA provided assistance and used its facilities to protect people fleeing bombings and a ground offensive launched by Israel in Gaza
Britain has also sent significant sums of money to the agency. In September, former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced a £10 million aid package for UNRWA.
MailOnline has contacted the British Foreign Office for comment.
A UN spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said the head of the global body was “shocked by this news”.
Dujarric added that the UN chief had asked Lazzarini to conduct an investigation to ensure that any UNRWA employee found to have participated or complicit in the October 7 attacks is immediately terminated and referred for possible criminal prosecution.
“A comprehensive, independent review of UNRWA will be carried out as a matter of urgency,” Dujarric added.
Established in 1949 after the first Arab-Israeli war, UNRWA provides services including education, basic health care and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
UNRWA has provided assistance and used its facilities to protect people fleeing bombings and a ground offensive that Israel launched in Gaza after the October 7 attacks, which Israel says killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostage.
“These shocking allegations come as more than two million people in Gaza rely on life-saving aid provided by the agency since the start of the war,” Lazzarini said.
The Israeli offensive has destroyed much of the densely populated Gaza Strip and killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, health officials in the area said.
UNRWA, whose biggest donors in 2022 were the United States, Germany and the European Union, has repeatedly said its ability to provide humanitarian aid to people in Gaza is on the brink of collapse.
The diplomatic missions of the United States, Germany and the European Union in Geneva had no immediate comment.