Israel Accuses UN Agency Workers of Militancy, Raises Concerns Without Evidence
In a significant escalation of tensions, Israel has heightened its criticism of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees, alleging that 450 of its employees in the Gaza Strip are members of militant groups. This accusation, however, was not accompanied by any evidence.
The controversy surrounding UNRWA intensified after Israel claimed that 12 of its employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, resulting in 1,200 casualties and approximately 250 people being held hostage in Gaza. International funders have withheld hundreds of millions of dollars from UNRWA in response to these allegations.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, stated in a press conference that he has never been informed or provided with evidence regarding Israel’s claims. He emphasized that UNRWA regularly shares lists of its staff with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and no concerns have been raised in the past.
The only specific allegations mentioned by Lazzarini were related to the 12 UNRWA employees accused of participating in the October 7 attacks. These individuals were subsequently terminated, and two U.N.-ordered investigations are currently underway.
The United Nations envoy focusing on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, added another dimension to the situation, stating that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Hamas committed rape, “sexualized torture,” and other cruel treatment during the October 7 attack.
Israel’s Chief Military Spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, claimed that over 450 UNRWA employees are militants without providing names or evidence. UNRWA responded, accusing Israel of detaining its staffers, using torture to obtain false confessions about links between the agency, Hamas, and the October 7 attack.
Following the initial accusations against UNRWA, more than a dozen countries suspended funding totaling around $450 million, nearly half of the agency’s budget for the year.
Juliette Touma, director of communications for UNRWA, encouraged entities with information to share it with the ongoing U.N. investigation. Meanwhile, two U.N. investigations into Israel’s allegations were already underway, with the EU agreeing to pay 50 million euros to UNRWA after the agency allowed EU-appointed experts to audit its staff screening procedures.
Accusations and counter-accusations continue amid efforts to broker a cease-fire in Gaza, with Benny Gantz, a top member of Israel’s wartime Cabinet, meeting U.S. officials in Washington. Simultaneously, violence escalated between Israel and Lebanon, resulting in casualties and raising tensions across the region. U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut to meet with Lebanese officials in an attempt to ease tensions amid near-daily clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.