ENTRE News – The United Nations (UN) fired nine staff from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after they were suspected of being involved in the Hamas attack last October 7. UN spokesman Farhan Haq said the nine staff were “likely involved” in Hamas attacks in Israel based on the results of the UN watchdog’s investigation.
“We have sufficient information to take this action, namely to dismiss these nine people,” Haq said on Monday (5/8), as quoted by Al Jazeera.
Haq’s statement came after the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) completed its investigation into Israeli allegations last January that 19 UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas attacks.
Haq said in one case, there was no evidence obtained by OIOS to support allegations that UNRWA staff members were involved in the attack. However, in nine other cases, there was “insufficient” evidence to support Israel’s allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas attacks.
The staff who may have been involved, said Haq, were men. Haq did not specify what their role was in the Hamas attack. However, he emphasized that participation in any form was betrayal.
“For us, any participation in attacks is an incredible betrayal of the kind of work we are supposed to do on behalf of the Palestinian people,” he said.
UNRWA employs 32,000 staff across its Middle East operations. About thirteen thousand of them work in the Gaza Strip. Responding to this report, the Israeli military mocked UNRWA because its mask had been removed.
“Your ‘aid’ agencies have officially stooped to a new low, and it’s time for the world to see your true face,” wrote Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, the Israeli military’s international spokesman, in X.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Monday, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said that his agency’s current priority is to continue life-saving and essential services for Palestinian refugees in Gaza and throughout the region, especially in the face of ongoing war, instability and risk. escalation of regional conflict.
“UNRWA is committed to continuing to uphold the basic principles and values of the UN, including the principle of humanitarian neutrality, and ensuring that all its staff comply with UNRWA policies regarding external and political activities,” Lazzarini wrote.