UN employees sacked for alleged involvement in Hamas attack on Israel
The UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says it has sacked several employees after reports of their involvement in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
In a statement on Friday, the agency said it received information from Israel about the alleged involvement of some of its workers in last year’s incursion in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and 240 people taken hostage.
“The Israeli authorities have provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on October 7,” Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s head, said on Friday.
“To protect the agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay.”
The announcement coincided with the International Court of Justice handing down a ruling which stopped short of ordering Israel to cease fighting in Gaza but ordered it to take all possible action to prevent genocide.
The US State Department said it was extremely troubled by the allegations, which it said pertained to 12 UNRWA employees. It said it would provide no additional funding to the agency until the allegations were addressed.
“The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defence minister, said the US decision was an important step toward holding UNRWA accountable.
“Major changes need to take place so that international efforts, funds, and humanitarian initiatives don’t fuel Hamas terrorism and the murder of Israelis,” he said.
The US State Department had recently praised UNRWA’s work, and the administration of Joe Biden restored funding that was halted during Donald Trump’s tenure.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said it would “assess further steps and draw lessons based on the result of the full and comprehensive investigation”.
Mr Lazzarini has made frequent trips into Gaza during the war and has been one of the staunchest critics of the Israeli ground operation.
The UNRWA was active in Gaza well before the start of the war working across hospitals and schools. It was not immediately clear where the employees in question worked.
UN workers ‘wished victory’ for Hamas attackers
The UN Watch, a Geneva-based NGO that scrutinises the work of the UN, earlier this month raised the alarm about alleged Hamas sympathies among multiple UN employees in Gaza.
The group cited hate posts in a Telegram group of about 3,000 UNRWA teachers in Gaza, praising the Hamas attackers as “heroes”.
The Telegram group containing personal details of UNRWA teachers, their work schedules and others included photos of dead or captured Israelis.
Several teachers quoted by the UN Watch were seen glorifying the Hamas attackers as “martyrs” and wishing them victory.
On Friday, the messages quoted by the UN Watch no longer appear to be in the chat.
Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has been briefed about the allegations, his spokesperson said.
“The Secretary-General is horrified by this news,” said Stéphane Dujarric.
Mr Dujarric added that the UN chief had asked Mr Lazzarini to conduct a probe to ensure that any UNRWA employee shown to have participated or abetted the October 7 attacks be terminated immediately and referred for potential criminal prosecution.
“An urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA will be conducted,” Mr Dujarric added.
