LONDON (Diya TV) — The United Nations has dismissed more staff members from its agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, after an internal investigation found they may have been involved in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. This action follows the firing of 12 staffers earlier this year and placing seven on administrative leave without pay. The latest group of nine includes individuals from these previously identified groups, confirmed Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s communications director.
The U.N.’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) has been investigating the matter since Israel accused 12 UNRWA staff members in January of participating in the attack, which resulted in the death of 1,200 people and the abduction of 250 others. Israel’s accusations led key donor countries to temporarily suspend their funding to UNRWA, causing a significant cash shortfall of approximately $450 million. While most donor countries have resumed their contributions, the United States has not.
Oren Marmorstein, spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated Israel’s stance on social media, urging donor countries to halt their funding, arguing that it could be diverted to terrorist elements. He emphasized that “UNRWA is part of the problem and not part of the solution” and called for its activities to be replaced by other agencies.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the October 7 attack and stated that the agency’s primary focus remains on providing critical services to Palestinian refugees amidst ongoing conflict and regional instability. Despite the firings, Lazzarini assured that UNRWA would continue its lifesaving mission in Gaza and beyond.
The OIOS investigation, which reviewed internal UNRWA data and evidence provided by Israel, concluded there was sufficient cause to fire nine staff members. However, the U.N. watchdog admitted it could not independently corroborate all the evidence due to a lack of direct access. In some cases, the evidence was deemed insufficient or non-existent to take similar actions against other accused staff.
An Israeli official involved in the investigation, who requested anonymity, stated that Israeli authorities provided detailed briefings on each accused staff member. This meticulous process involved presenting intelligence on their alleged involvement in the October 7 attack.
UNRWA, which has been a vital lifeline for Palestinian refugees since its establishment following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, employs around 32,000 people across the Middle East, including 13,000 in Gaza. The agency has faced long-standing accusations from Israel of harboring militants and facilitating Hamas activities, accusations it vehemently denies. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 39,600 people in Gaza, according to local health officials, and has caused widespread humanitarian crises.
UNRWA has suffered significant losses during the conflict, with over 200 staff members killed and 190 installations damaged, including U.N.-run schools used as shelters for displaced persons.
